Detroit: Being Human
by AFishCalledMonty
Summary: Six months on from the battle of Detroit tensions are rising and a band of human activists are causing trouble outside of the city. Connor is sent to defuse the situation anyway he can but finds himself held captive by an enigmatic human named Becca. As they are forced to see things from each other's perspectives, Connor realises there is a lot more to being human.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello there, welcome to my new story. This is my first for this game but I have written for games before, more specifically Hitman, so if you're coming from those stories hello again. But if not hello for the first time. This is based after a completion of the happy ending of Detroit, so all three main characters are alive and Connor is part of the revolution. Anyway, I do hope you enjoy, and please review if you have any thoughts. I love to hear feedback, it's what makes me breath as a writer. :)**

Detroit: Being Human

Chapter 1

Connor straightened his tie as he waited outside Markus' door. It was a habit he had kept from before he had woken up, but he found himself doing it when he felt nervous nowadays. He scanned the corridor he was stood in, another custom from his past, and watched several androids come and go from the rooms coming off of it. It was early morning but seeing as none of them ever slept there were always androids working here.

He was in Detroit City hall, the hub for the android revolution and Jericho's new headquarters. Markus had decided to set his base of operations up in the old centre of political power. He claimed it was for practical reasons, but Connor suspected he wanted to give the androids some kind of symbol that they had truly beaten the humans. Taking over their buildings and repurposing them for the revolution; it sent a very powerful message.

The door to his office opened and an AP700 greeted him. She gave him a small smile before holding the door open. "Markus will see you now Connor." She said.

Connor gave his tie one last adjustment before walking past the android and into Markus' inner sanctum. He did another scan of the room as he entered, analysing the wall of old, dust covered books behind the large mahogany desk. There was a monitor set up on its surface, a human newscaster reading the headlines.

 _"_ _The continued android revolution has now been reported to have spread to parts of East Asia. Tokyo and Shanghai have both been evacuated, and claims of attacks by splinter cell groups intent of violence from both sides are growing in number. The President made a speech today reminding people to not confront any androids, whether they be deviant or otherwise. Any open retaliation will only risk the cease fire that was so tentatively won last month."_

Connor looked from the monitor to the large window where Markus was stood, his hands clasped behind his back. The leader of Jericho stared pensively out, surveying the coming and goings of Detroit below. The only android controlled city. When Connor had marched into its boundaries with an army of androids only six months ago, he had not expected the humans to give up so easily. However, things had most definitely changed. Security around the other Cyberlife warehouses had tripled since then, and no one else had managed to awaken that amount of androids in one go. This meant that a lot of the other cities and towns were fractured into territories. The androids that had freed themselves forming camps and the humans unwilling to flee but loathed to go against their commanding officer's wishes of peace. It had created a fragile stalemate, one that Connor knew wouldn't last long.

"You asked to see me Markus." He said, staring expectantly at the leader. Markus let out a heavy sigh, then muttered, "TV off." Before turning to look at his Lieutenant. His mouth twitched as he took in the smart appearance of the other android. Connor's serious expression remained rigid as he approached him and tugged playfully on his jacket.

"You know you're the only one in this city who still wears their uniform Connor. You don't have to you know." Connor tilted his head as he regarded his leader.

"I know. But I find I am more efficient in my duties if I do not spend unnecessary processing power deciding what to wear." Markus rolled his eyes before letting go of his friend's jacket and moving to the desk. His own unique flowing robe billowing out behind him as he reached it and turned to survey the odd RK800 model.

"I didn't bring you here to criticise your attire. I have a mission for you." Connor's attention snapped to Markus in an instant. He had heard his leader insist he change out of his assigned uniform exactly 124 times, but truth was he felt safe in it. Out of everyone to awaken and become deviant Connor seemed to be the only one finding it hard to adjust to the process. He felt things now, yes, there was no denying that. He had felt anger and frustration, happiness and sorrow but underneath it all he still had the need to analyse, to solve, to deconstruct. It made day to day life hard. That was why he relished being given missions. It gave him an excuse to drown out all his newfound emotions and become the efficient detective he had been designed to be.

"Have you heard of the Chosen?" Markus asked. Connor searched his memory banks for a second, his eyes glazing over as the small, circular LED on his temple blinked rapidly. Markus' gaze flicked to it, his brow furrowing as he looked at the visible reminder that his friend wasn't human. His clothes he could ignore, but Markus would never understand why Connor insisted on keeping his LED. It was simple and obviously painless to remove, so why have it. He averted his eyes from it, choosing instead to look at his face as he searched for the information. Maybe one day he would have the courage to ask Connor, but now was not the time.

"I have found very few articles and news reports mentioning them. They appear to be an android splinter cell operating outside of Grand Rapids. There isn't much, but their methods are reported to be…unorthodox."

"That's as much as I know too. But a group of refugees entered the city yesterday claiming they are stirring things up with a human activist group in the same area. It's causing a lot of problems, not least drawing the attention of the public and potentially ending this cease fire." Connor looked at Markus for a beat.

"You want me to infiltrate them to negotiate a change of tact?" Markus shook his head, smiling at the other android.

"No Connor. I don't want you to infiltrate them. I want you to infiltrate the humans and try to get them on side." Connor blinked at Markus, his hands automatically moving to his tie again.

"The humans? But why? The probability of them listening to me are low considering they are fighting a violent group of androids." Markus smiled at his comment and stepped forward to place a friendly hand on his Lieutenant's shoulder.

"I want you to go to the humans because we need to win them over, not preach to the converted. If we can persuade them then we might have a chance of making this peace last." Connor frowned.

"Why me?" Markus snorted in amusement.

"You're the most advanced model out of all of us. You're equipped with a social module that makes you better at integrating with the humans and you always accomplish your mission. Remember?" He gave Connor's shoulder a squeeze before letting go. Connor felt the stirrings of resignation. Markus always had a way of convincing others to do things they weren't sure about. That was probably why he was the leader.

"I accept. Although I'm not sure what good will come of this." Connor muttered. Markus openly laughed at his odd friend's break from his usual level tone.

"I have every faith Connor." He began to steer the other android towards the door. "Now go to North, she will tell you where they were last located and for maker's sake change out of that damn uniform." With that the leader of Jericho propelled Connor out of his office and into his next mission.

* * *

"I don't know why Markus is insisting on this ridiculous plan." North spat out as she drove the car they were in. Connor looked over at the WR400 android next to him, her face was set in a fierce scowl and he noted that she was probably gripping the steering wheel too tightly for effective driving. He decided against pointing this out however and chose to just say nothing. Sometimes that was the safer option.

"These humans are openly fighting androids. We should be joining these 'Chosen' and helping them, not going behind their backs to attempt diplomacy." Her hands tightened further and he resisted the urge to correct her technique. "I mean I love him but I swear sometimes he's the most frustrating person on the planet."

Connor looked away, choosing to avert his attention to the scenery outside. He knew what the word 'love' meant, it just wasn't an emotion that he really understood. He had felt companionship, even affection with Hank, but love was something not even humans could explain. Watching the houses melt away to give way to forests and hills, they lapsed into silence, North sensing her passenger's reluctance to converse anymore.

She cast a curious glance towards the male android next to her. He had changed out of his usual uniform that he refused to take off and was wearing dark jeans, with a dark blue shirt and leather jacket. His face was a blank mask as he stared out of the window. Out of all the androids in Jericho he was the one she knew the least about. He had appeared out of nowhere and pulled off one of the most celebrated feats of the revolution, freeing thousands of androids right from under Cyberlife's nose. After the battle of Detroit he had quickly become indispensable to the Jericho, carrying out numerous rescue missions, often with flawless success. Markus held him in very high regard, that much she knew, but there was still the air of a machine about him. Something that kept him separate from everyone else in Detroit. The only close relationship she knew he had was with that ill-tempered human, Hank Anderson. Occasionally he would leave the city to visit him but that was the only person he ever showed any feeling towards.

She looked away from Connor and checked the Nav monitor. They were nearing the drop off point; an isolated forest road somewhere in the Huron-Manistee National park. Even though she didn't know him very well North felt a twinge of fear for Connor. Both these groups were considered dangerous and prone to violence, it wasn't a place most people, android or human, would choose to go.

"Your LED. Have you got rid of it?" She asked as the turning for the forest road approached. She felt Connor's gaze fall of her again, his eyebrows pulled together in a expression of confusion.

"No. Why?" He responded simply.

"Because you're meant to be going undercover. Turning up in a human activist camp with a flashing LED is going to be like waving a red flag in front of them." Connor looked out of the front window. North could tell he was working through the logic of her statement. In the blink of an eye he leant forward and extracted a hunting knife from the bag he was taking for appearances sake. Having a 'human' turn up in the woods with no belongings would have been a bit suspicious.

With no ceremony, he lifted the point of the knife to his temple and quickly levered the LED off his head. North heard the unmistakable sucking sound of his skin retracting over the hole left behind, and saw him stow the disconnected LED in his pocket.

"There." He said, showing her the side of his head now without the blue flashing circle. North nodded, satisfied. She had hoped he would confirm her belief that this was a fool's errand but he seemed almost placid in his acceptance of Markus' plans.

"We're here." She said, bringing the car to a stop on the small dirt road. Despite it being the middle of the day the scene outside appeared dark, the sun unable to make it through the dense canopy above them. The trees penned in the road making the car suddenly feel very claustrophobic. Connor sat rigid for a second, analysing the forest around them. He didn't like to admit it but for the first time since receiving this mission he felt the nagging feeling of apprehension.

"I'll report back in two days if I have made any progress." He stated. Better to appear in control than give North any cause for concern. It would only make its way back to Markus and then he be made to come back. If there was one thing Connor hated more than anything it was failure to complete something he had started.

North looked worried as she sat there waiting for him to get out. If she didn't know any better she would have said Connor looked scared. But he was never scared, he was never much of anything really. Still…his brown eyes moved restlessly in his head as he looked out of the window at the sinister trees.

"You'll be fine." She blurted out. Connor's eyes snapped to her. "They're probably all grumpy, hard to reach humans. You're good at those right?" She offered him what she hoped was a reassuring smile. He didn't smile back. In fact he seemed to look more agitated than before.

"Yes. I am." He said by way of reply before getting out without another word and letting the door slid shut behind him.

"Bye then." North muttered, unable to supress her annoyance at his sudden lack social skills. But when she began to drive away she couldn't help glancing in her rear view mirror to get another look at the android stood alone in the woods.

* * *

Connor had begun the second of his perimeter circles when the light really began to fade. If the forest had been dark before, now it reached a whole new level of the meaning. He paused for a second, waiting for his night vision to kick in, then once the trees took on an eerie green tint he continued on his path.

He had marked out a series of circles in his onboard Nav, each one getting smaller and smaller to allow for maximum coverage of the group's last known location. It had taken him two hours to cover the first 50 mile radius, now he was onto the next one.

As he walked methodically on his chosen route, he periodically scanned the surrounding forest. Searching for anything out of the ordinary. A sign of some sort, a mark on a tree, a totem. Anything to point the way for human's looking to find the camp. With Jericho it had been graffiti tags, with these humans, considering their reputation, Connor half expected the severed head of an android or something similarly ghoulish.

He continued like this, picking his way through the undergrowth, for something like 4 hours with nothing to show for it. Then on another routine scan his system picked up the barest hint of a heat signature. Immediately he stopped in place, letting his auditory and optical sensors make sense of what his scanner had found. The forest was unusually quiet considering this was the time most animals chose to come out, but judging from the way the heat signature wasn't moving and appeared to be crouching in a bush he doubted highly that it was any kind of animal.

Slowly he turned his head to better see the thing squatting in the bush a hundred feet from him. It didn't react to his movement but now that he was looking directly at it Connor could see a pair of front facing eyes staring back at him from between the leaves. It was definitely humanoid in shape and judging the fact that androids didn't give off heat signatures it was in all likelihood human. Connor decided to keep moving to see if the human, whoever they were, would follow. Being careful to make his movements imperfect and clumsy he walked on, tripping on the occasional root and using the trees for support. He needed them to assume he was human from first impressions. If they guessed he was an android straight away they would likely deactivate first, ask questions later. Violent humans had a tendency to be rash.

He kept scanning as he walked, keeping tabs on where the human was. After a few minutes it became apparent that he was indeed being followed, and not just by his original heat signature, but a whole group of them now. It would seem the group had found him instead of the other way around. _Oh well, no matter_ , he thought as he noisily crashed through a tangle of brambles, _adapt and integrate._

This seemingly one sided cat and mouse game last for a full ten minutes before Connor caught one of the humans moving quickly on his right. It was followed by a similar movement to his left. They were flanking him. _Good_ , _I was getting tired of stumbling around this place like an idiot_.

He feigned ignorance as the humans moved soundlessly through the undergrowth on either side of him. If he hadn't been him, he was sure they would have remained undetected. Their skills in stealth were something to be commended. They kept themselves out of direct line of sight and at a safe distance for most android models to not sense them; they knew what they were doing. He saw that they had completed their rehearsed manoeuvre when two heat signatures appeared ahead of him, blocking his path. They waited until he was almost on them before switching on their flash lights and shining them into his eyes.

He let out a forced yelp of shock and held up his hands, blinking in an alarmed manner. "Who's there? I'm not a threat, I swear." He said, adding an extra warbling note to his voice to imitate fear. One of the humans moved forward, focusing their flashlight on his temple. Looking for an LED.

"No light." The human, who had a male voice, shouted to his companions. Connor tried to shield his eyes from the glare of the torch. As much as he could still see moderately well, the light was playing havoc with his optic sensors. He could make out any of the human's faces, making it harder to decide what approach to take.

"That means nothing." A voice countered, another male. Connor turned his head trying to pin point the source. He was very aware that all the humans that had been following him were now stood around him in a tight circle, completely surrounding him.

"I'm human." Connor lied, although now the fearful warble in his voice was ever so slightly less fake. With this many adversaries and no weapon to speak of, only a simple hunting knife, he calculated his chance of survival was exactly 40% if they chose to attack. The first man took a step back, his flash light roaming Connor's body as he assessed him. It looked like he was about to agree when another, this time female, voice entered the conversation.

"No you're not." She said in a calm but icy tone. A figure moved in between the two flashlight men to stand silhouetted in their glare. Connor could make out a definitely female shape to it but everything else was in darkness, it was highly frustrating. "I'll take him out." She declared, this time to the group rather than him.

"But Henry said…" Someone interjected.

"I don't care what Henry said, _I'm_ saying I'll deal with him." Connor shifted slightly, straightening his deliberately slumped posture to his full height. His cover had been blown even before reaching the camp, it was unacceptable and he'd not go down easily. The potent tingle of fear began to creep through his circuits, if this was how it ended he'd make it count.

The female reached into her pocket, most likely for a weapon, and began to pull something out. Connor tensed, watching her hand movement, waiting for the right moment to begin his assault. But before he had even completed a reconstruction of the scenario, there was a small beep as the female pushed the something she had retrieved from her pocket, and everything went black.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Connor woke up in a small, breeze block room that looked strangely similar to the interrogation room back in the Detroit City Police Department. He was sat in a metal chair, or more accurately he was tied to a metal chair in front of a bare metal table. His system took longer than normal to boot up, whatever that human had done to him it had it given the closest thing to a headache he was ever likely to experience. Eventually he felt like he was operating at full capacity instead of half, and began to scan the room for any details of where he might be. The room really was a bare concrete shell. There was nothing, only the table, two chairs and a single strip light above him. He had thought it looked like that familiar room from his past but there was a difference; no one way glass. This was more like a prison cell then an interrogation room.

He was just beginning his assessment of the metal wires holding his wrists and ankles in place when the only other feature of the room, the door, opened and a woman entered. Automatically Connor scanned her features but his data banks came back with no information on her identity. Frowning, he watched as she walked into the room closing the door with a clang behind her. The fact that there was no record of her was highly disconcerting. There were very few people that weren't on the national records, and all of those were considered bad news. She was effectively a ghost, an anomaly and it put Connor at a huge disadvantage.

With a grating noise she pulled the other chair over to sit directly opposite him, clasping her hands together on the table and regarding the captive android with a curious expression. Seeing as he would glean no intel from the online records, Connor resorted to the 'old fashioned' method and decided to assess her appearance for any clues as to her position and personality.

Standing up, he calculated her to be 5'7" and around 168lbs. Her face was soft and round but there was a hardness to her features. Connor predicted she had once been a friendly person but now she presented a closed off front, her hazel eyes wary as she looked back at him. Her clothes were tired looking and covered in grime. A khaki green jacket covering an off white linen shirt. They were practical clothes meant for outdoor living and Connor doubted she had changed them in a long time judging by their condition. Although her mousy brown hair tied back in a neat plait suggested her dishevelled appearance wasn't a natural choice, more of a side effect. Evidently the group were sleeping rough, an interesting point worth noting.

Apart from the two minimal points he had managed to take away from her appearance, Connor still had no idea who this woman was, or her standing in the group. All he was sure about was that she had been the one to disable and capture him. Neither of them had spoken yet, she continued to look at him, her eyes staying fixed on his face. Her stillness an unnerving trait considering she was human. Or at least he was assuming she was. Connor scanned her quickly again, the sudden doubt making him nervous. Yes, there was a heat signature, she was undeniably human. Finally, after what felt like an age, but what Connor knew was exactly 5 minutes, she let out a sigh and leant back in her chair away from him.

"Why did he send you?" She asked. Her voice was familiar to him from their earlier encounter, but this time there was less hostility in it, more of an open inquisitiveness. The question however didn't seem appropriate. Usually in an interrogation the interrogator would start by establishing the subject's identity and individual purpose. She had begun with a loaded question. Connor's brow furrowed as he tried to formulate the best response. The woman's mouth twitched at the corner as she watched him struggle.

"I'm afraid I'm not sure what you mean." Connor began in a confused tone. Feigning ignorance seemed like the best approach. "I was lost and simply looking for-"

"I know who you are Connor." She interrupted, stopping him mid lie. His mouth snapped shut, his eyebrows lowering as the shock of hearing his name sank in. The odds were tipping further and further in her favour and it didn't sit well with him at all. He recognised the mounting discomfort in his circuits as frustration. If he had still had his LED on it would have been blinking a frantic yellow right now.

Connor relaxed his expression; glaring at the human would do nothing to change his position. He needed to figure out the optimal course of action to gain information. Diplomacy with the humans was his mission after all.

"So why did Markus send you here?" The woman probed again. Connor arranged his features into a neutral mask and tilted his head slightly.

"I'm curious, you know so much about me and where I've come from, and yet I know nothing about you. Seems hardly fair." The woman's mouth twitched again and she raised an eyebrow at him.

"That's not how interrogations tend to work. I ask the questions and you either choose to answer them or not, there's no exchange of information." She leant forward again to rest her forearms on the table. Connor could see the interesting mix of green and brown in her irises from this distance. They bored into his own brown pair, a bright intelligence hidden behind thick, heavily guarded walls. Whoever she was, there was more to her than first appearances. "I thought you of all people would know that." She finished, her mouth curving up into a wry smile.

"And what happens if I choose not to reply?" He asked, resisting the sudden illogical urge to lean away from that intense stare. The woman gave a small shrug.

"I'm not sure really, although I can tell you a lot of people aren't very happy with you being here. I could leave that decision up to them." She turned her head, pretending to appear unconcerned with his reaction but he saw her unnerving eyes flash the android an interested look.

"Violence won't scare me." Connor stated, matter-of-factly. And it was the truth. Yes, the thought of dying was not an attractive prospect, especially as now he was deviant there was no chance of coming back. Since disconnecting from the Cyberlife servers his ability to transfer his consciousness had unfortunately also been terminated. Meaning if he was deactivated now that would be it. Still, the very fact he was here talking to this woman meant he was valuable in some way. It was unlikely she would allow him to be destroyed when she needed something from him. It was one of the key things about interrogation, it was all just a game of chess. And he was designed to be the best at it.

The woman gave a small snort of what appeared to be amusement, then she resumed her reclined position in the chair. "I didn't think it would. Worth a shot though right?"

Connor felt himself frown again, she was asking him if she had tried the right tactic. This human's reactions were proving highly unpredictable. It only added to the infuriating enigma that was her identity. He quickly ran through some of the possible scenarios for their conversation and decided on the honest approach.

"I'm not here to hurt any of you." He said. Making his expression as nonthreatening and open as possible. The woman didn't say anything. "I'm here to talk." He continued, assessing her body language. Slowly she folded her arms, closing herself off to him further.

"So Markus wants to talk us into backing down? I shouldn't have expected anything different." Her eyes flashed with a sudden anger that surprised Connor. Up until then she had been calm and ordered, it seemed he had finally hit a nerve. "I just didn't expect him to send his bloodhound to do the negotiating." Her voice had dropped several degrees.

"I'm not sure I understand your analogy." Connor said. The woman's face relaxed, dispelling her abrupt anger almost as quickly as it had appeared. She examined him with the same neutral expression that made her so difficult to read.

"You're the famous Connor are you not? Sent in to accomplish the impossible, able to find anyone no matter how well they hide." She lifted one of her arms to gesture around the room in general. "Case in point. You found us. So I think bloodhound describes you pretty accurately, unless you don't like being compared to a dog?"

He blinked at the woman, unable to argue with her inventive reasoning. He had the funny feeling that every time he got close to finding something out about her she was diverting the conversation away from it. This mission could prove more challenging than he had previously predicted. He sat silently, waiting for her to make the next move. She folded her arms again and waited as well. The silence grew heavy between them.

After about five minutes of this the door to the room burst open with a dramatic clang and an agitated looking man stormed in. This human was similarly dishevelled, his shoulder length hair matted and unkept, his bulky arms tensed as he came to a halt by her chair. He glared with hated filled eyes at Connor before turning his attention to the woman sat unperturbed opposite him. Connor noted how she had barely flinched at the man's abrupt entrance. Her muscles had merely tensed slightly, her gaze not breaking away from the android she was questioning. It arose further interest in Connor, the way in which this unusual human behaved. It was unlike anything he had seen before.

"This is getting us nowhere Becca." The man growled at her, and Connor felt his mouth lift up at the corners. So her name was Becca was it? Finally he had the tiniest slither of information about this enigmatic female and it sent a wave of giddy triumph through his system. Becca, for her part, seemed less pleased with her fellow human's slip. She turned her head achingly slow towards him, narrowing her eyes to two sharp points of disapproval.

"You said you'd give me twenty minutes _Henry_. And so far I've only counted ten." She said his name in a mocking way and Connor felt his involuntary smile grow. She was getting him back for his mistake by revealing his name. Although Henry seemed ignorant to the whole affair as he let out an annoyed huff and shrugged at her.

"So what? The thing is obviously lying to you. What good would ten more minutes do?" Connor saw Becca's jaw tense at her companion's words.

"Not that you would have the slightest clue, but ten minutes could do a lot." Her head snapped back round to look at Connor, the supressed anger evident in her intense stare. The android sat motionless, an odd smile plastered on his face, his eyes moving methodically between Henry and her. "Not that it matters now you've barged into the middle of my interrogation like an aggravated silverback."

Connor felt a spike of amusement at the sight of Henry's face after receiving another of her imaginative animal comparisons. He supressed the urge to show it however, swiftly rearranging his features back into a blank mask. Becca was too quick for him and he watched with continued fascination as her anger melted away to reveal that curious look she had been giving him since starting this bizarre encounter.

"How dare you." Henry seethed, oblivious to the odd moment that had passed between the android and human next to him. "I am in charge here and I say that talking to it is pointless. They're not interested in peace, it's all just an elaborate plan to wipe us all out."

Connor turned his full attention to the man. If that was what they really thought it would be near impossible to reason with them. It was apparent from the news and factual evidence that the majority of androids wanted peace. A chance to simply live side by side with the humans. But this man was clearly determined to see what he wanted, and he was the group's _leader._ Connor took in the new information with a bitter resignation. He'd only been here an hour and it was already turning into a lost cause.

"And what if it's not." Becca snapped, "What if it's a chance for us to get back what we've lost, to come to an agreement that doesn't result in more bloodshed?"

Henry snorted derisively. "I thought you of all people would see where trusting them gets you. You're a valued member Becca, but a lot of people are pissed off with you right now for bringing it here." The two humans glared lethally at each other for a few seconds. Connor watched with growing interest. What had happened to them to make them so angry? He attempted to search his databanks for any information on this area; police reports, news articles on attacks or disasters, but he found about as much as when he had scanned her face. Nothing.

"Let them be pissed. He's the right hand man of Markus you idiot. That's got to be worth something?" Henry's eyes widened slightly, his rage dampened by her statement. He flashed a look at Connor, and the android was taken aback with the ferocity of the hate burning in them.

"Why didn't you sat anything?" He asked, his voice lowering in volume. Becca rolled her eyes and gave him a condescending look.

"Because you would have taken control of this in your heavy handed way and not given me a chance to talk to him. We could get serious intel on Jericho and all you want to do is rip his head off. Not exactly the smartest move is it." Henry's head snapped round to stare at her again. Clenching and unclenching his hands as he decided what to do next.

"Fine." He finally hissed though a very tense jaw. "I'll give you twenty more minutes. But then I get a go." He finished his sentence by jabbing an aggressive finger towards his chest. Becca regarded him for a moment before nodding calmly and turning away from him. Signalling this conversation was now over.

Connor watched the hostile man exit the small room with one last venomous glance in his direction, and couldn't help feeling a modicum of relief at being left with Becca instead of that volatile human. She let out a sigh and recomposed herself. Connor tilted his head an inch as he regarded her.

"Is Becca short for Rebecca?" Instantly her calm shell cracked, her body stiffening, her expression becoming a granite hard mask.

"None of your business." She retorted bitingly. Connor smiled, this time a fake one, constructed to put people at ease with him. Amusingly it seemed to have the opposite effect on her as she tensed further.

"Now we both know each other's names Rebecca, I think it's best we start again." She regarded him with wary eyes as he continued. "I can assure you Markus does want peace between us, and is willing to negotiate with you through me."

Becca didn't move. Becoming so still Connor was tempted to scan her again, she really did act like no other human he had seen before. Her mouth was pressed in a thin line and he could tell she was thinking about what to say next. Eventually her face relaxed and she spoke in a calm, level tone again.

"You don't know much about the Chosen, do you?" He frowned and she responded with a wry smile. "I thought not. There's only one thing to know about them, they shoot first and ask-"

Before she could finish her sentence an ear splitting boom echoed through the room as half of the wall descended on them sending Connor flying across the floor, still attached to the chair. Rubble and dust obscured his vision as he craned his neck to get a better look at the now decimated room, trying to assess what had just happened. Scanning quickly, he searched for his interrogator and found her on her hands and knees behind a particularly large chunk of wall. Apart from being slightly disorientated his system wasn't reporting any damage from the explosion, although he was still frustratingly tied in place, now on his side.

"Shit." Becca coughed through a mouthful of dust. Struggling to her feet, her ears ringing painfully from the assault. She squinted through the snowstorm of debris to see the android staring back at her with indifferent brown eyes. The sight was almost amusing, his serious expression and rigid posture still in place even after being been thrown sideways across the concrete floor. Assessing the new opening in the interrogation room Becca saw that the damaged had been caused by a large explosion. Several holes had been blown through the building, resulting in a jagged tunnel leading to the outside.

Even though she had a pretty good idea of who was responsible it didn't take long for her suspicions to be confirmed, as a dozen androids piled in through their make shift entrance. It was easy to tell they were androids as one of the trademarks of the Chosen was their decision to not wear their synthetic skins. In their words they chose to show their true forms, instead of imitating the beings that had enslaved them.

Grim panic gripped Becca as she watched them advance on the small room she was in. They were carrying guns and were already opening fire on some of her group that were trying to defend themselves. Her eyes snapped back to the android, lying immobile on the floor. She stared at him in frustration as the chaos increased around them, shouting and gunfire making it difficult to think straight. She had been so close to making a breakthrough with him, a couple more minutes and who knew what she might have discovered about Jericho and its leader. A line appeared between her eyebrows as she frowned at the android, it almost looked like he was staring back at her with the same thought.

The loud retort of an automatic rifle snapped her back to reality and she heard a familiar voice shout from just outside opening in the wall. "There's too many of them Becca, we're going to split up and find a new base." Henry's desperate call triggered something inside her and without hesitating she navigated the suddenly very cramped room to open the door. She had to give it a hefty pull as a heavy piece of rubble was wedged against it. Using her left hand it opened with a reluctant squeal and she peered out cautiously it the dusty corridor. There was no one here yet but she could already hear the distant shouts of more people, humans or androids she wasn't sure, joining the fight.

They would run and find a new place to call home. This happened every few weeks. The Chosen would find where they were hiding and force them to move on, this was just how life was now. She was just preparing to leave when something forced her to look back. The android known as Connor was still watching her with those unnerving eyes of his. She couldn't leave him here, not because she feared for his safety these were his people after all, but because he was too valuable to let go.

Connor sensed her indecision as she stood in the open doorway, dithering as the impending fight closed in on them. What was she thinking? He wondered and an alarmingly strong urge to know suddenly gripped him. Before she could make up her mind however an android without its skin but still wearing dark clothes, leapt through the opening in the wall brandishing a gun. She stopped as she took in the scene before her, her eyes flashing between Becca stood by the door and Connor on his side tied to the chair. Her obvious surprise could have been considered comical except for the weapon she was now swinging between them too. _She doesn't know I'm an android_ , thought Connor as he did the only thing he could think of and stayed still.

Taking advantage of the android's indecision Becca reached into her jacket and produced a small black box. With a grim expression she pointed it at the other android and pushed a button. There was a muted beep that Connor recognised. _Not again,_ he thought bitterly just as his system was shut down, plunging him into more blackness.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hey, so I like to post a few chapters to start off with. Get you settled into the story. I post as regularly as I can, although work and life in general can get in the way. I hope you've enjoyed it so far and like where it is going. So all that's left for me to say before you start this chapter is read, review and enjoy! And I'll see you soon for chapter 4. :)**

Chapter 3

His senses felt fuzzy as he rebooted for the second time that night. The operating centre of his brain waking up before his auditory and optical sensors had even signalled their approval of the decision to work again. He sat, blind and deaf for what felt like an eternity as whatever that woman had done to him worked its way out of his system.

The last thing he could recall was being tied to a chair on his side, looking at a very distressed android with a gun in a room that had been blown halfway to oblivion. _The Chosen shoot first indeed_ , he thought wryly as his auditory sensors came back online. It would seem the mission was only getting more complicated as time went on, not simpler.

Connor tried to make sense of his surroundings without his sight, which was remining stubbornly offline . He was pretty sure he was sat upright, against something hard. His legs were stretched out in front of him and judging by the cold moisture seeping through his jeans he was on the ground. The gentle sound of wind through leaves solidified the fact he was outside but there was something else that didn't fit in with the sounds of nature. A persistent squeak of metal on metal cut through the sound of the breeze. Connor was just trying to process where he had heard that sound before when his optical sensors finally decided to reconnect and grant him his sight.

He was indeed sat in the middle of a forest, propped against a tree. His feet were now free but he could feel his hands were bound behind his back with the same metal wire. It was still night time as the surrounding trees were shrouded in darkness. The only light was a soft orange glow coming from a flashlight that was placed a few feet away. His interrogator was sat on the ground in the circle of light, her left arm propped up on one of her legs. Her jacket was on the floor nearby and the sleeve of her linen shirt was rolled up nearly to the shoulder. She was bent over her arm, examining something. The squealing sound of metal intensified.

Connor frowned. Focusing his gaze on her as she continued to look at her arm closely. Her body was obscuring the majority of it and he wondered if she had been injured in the assault. But a quick scan on his surroundings showed there was no blood anywhere, not human blood anyway. His eyes widened in confusion as he spotted traces of thirium spotted on the grass around her. Had she injured that android and got blue blood on her? Connor was just about to do another scan when Becca sat up, wiping her brow with her right hand. A screwdriver was clutched in it, it was covered in thirium, dripping off the end. If Connor had possessed a stomach it would have dropped in that moment as his eyes slid from the screwdriver to the woman's now exposed left arm. It shone white in the flashlight's glow, the unmistakable plastic casing of an android. But she was human, he had scanned her, she had a heat signature. His gaze travelled up the android's exposed forearm and over the elbow before reaching a grey metal ring that didn't belong on any model he had encountered. Then he looked again and finally understood what he was looking at. She was human alright; human from her shoulder to just above her elbow. Then her arm ended and an android's elbow and forearm took the place of what she was evidently missing. As he stared with wide eyes, a synthetic skin began to spread from the metal ring which joined her real arm to the android one covering the white plastic with a sucking sound. It matched her real skin perfectly and once it was done the only way anyone could tell there was something amiss with the limb was a thin blue LED line where the join was.

Becca looked up from her work, her hazel eyes meeting his brown ones. Feeling suddenly ashamed, like he was witnessing something private, Connor averted his gaze but she still caught him gawking at her. Her face darkened as she slid the screwdriver into her back pocket and stood up covering her arm with her jacket.

"You're awake again I see." She said, picking up the flashlight and walking over to where he was. Connor leant his head back, looking up at her with an innocent expression.

"Would you mind telling me how we got here?" He asked in a polite voice. Becca stared at him for a moment, her stance guarded. Connor couldn't help his eyes straying to her left arm which was now covered by her jacket. He was curious as to how she had managed to make it act like a normal arm seeing as it shouldn't have been compatible with human anatomy. Becca's stare turned icy, noticing the android's sudden fascination with her deformity. She mentally slapped herself, fixing it in front of her captive, no matter how urgent, had been an idiotic decision. She didn't like the way he looked at her now, with a mixture of curiosity and pity.

"I dragged you here if you must know." She snapped, drawing his attention back to her face. Connor quickly did the calculations in his head; with her weight to height ratio against his, coupled with that an android arm that was clearly malfunctioning, it seemed improbably that she would have been able to move him away from that war zone. She watched as the android struggled to believe her words. With an irritated sigh she leant down and grabbed Connor's elbow with her android hand.

"Does it matter how I did it? I did it okay. Now get up, we have to move." She gave him a tug and with a surprised expression he found himself being forced upright by her unexpected strength. She let go of him as if he was on fire and took a hasty step away. Self-consciously she grasped her left arm with her right and turned away from him. "Don't bother trying to run. You won't get those bonds off on your own and the only androids you'll encounter in this place are the ones who will more likely shoot you before checking to see if your one of them."

She began to walk off into the pitch black trees, the flashlight casting a thin orange beam in front of her. Connor watched the unusual woman for a second, he hadn't planned to escape anyway. His mission was to negotiate a peace with these humans and he had a feeling, even though she wasn't technically the leader, she held the vital key to him achieving that aim. Plus she intrigued him. And that couldn't be ignored.

Despite having his arms tied behind his back Connor still managed to walk with a fluid efficiency, easily catching his captor and matching her steps to walk beside her. She gave him an odd sideways look, before turning back to the path she was picking out through the dense undergrowth and ignored him. They walked in silence for a time, the android flawlessly keeping pace with the human. Connor wasn't sure where they were heading but the woman appeared confident in her path, never stopping or checking where she was. She walked with a steady rhythm that denoted she had walked this route before.

One of the major attributes of being an android was that Connor never tired; he didn't need sleep, he didn't need nourishment, he didn't even need shelter but humans were fragile and as they walked further and further he became aware that Becca was slowing. After one particularly tricky incline up a steep bank she finally tripped after hours of relentless marching. Connor watched, unable to help as she tipped forward, stumbling into the ground with a low curse. She righted herself, picking up the flashlight which had fallen with her and gave a heavy sigh as she brushed herself off.

"Maybe we should stop." Connor said. Becca's eyes shone with mistrust even in the haphazard light of the torch.

"You're awfully concerned about someone who's holding you against your will." She replied, fixing him with that intense stare of hers. He shrugged his shoulders, his expression neutral.

"You said it yourself, on my own I wouldn't last. So I think it's in my best interest to keep you in peak condition." She watched him with wary eyes for a minute, then gestured off into the trees to their right.

"There's a small clearing in that direction. I remember right there's an abandoned hut there. We'll head that way and get me back into…'peak' condition." She turned away from him and began walking the way she had indicated. Connor wasn't sure if it was a trick of the light but she had looked like she was smirking at him.

Just as she had predicted they did indeed break through the undergrowth to walk into a small, circular clearing in the trees. It was bathed in silver light from the unobstructed moon and in the centre of it was a rundown wood hut. Inside it was largely empty except for one lopsided chair and a moth eaten rug on the floor. Connor scanned the room out of habit but found no signs that anyone had been here in a long time. Becca placed the flashlight upright on the floor so it cast a warm glow over the otherwise sad looking place.

"Seeing as I don't much like sleeping upright and you don't need to, you can have the chair, I'll have the rug." She muttered as she sank down onto the less than clean looking item and stared up at him expectantly. He stood still, unsure how to react to this bizarre situation he found himself in. Tied up and about to watch his captor sleep on the floor in front of him. Becca's stare turned into a frown as he continued to process what to do; watching a dithering android was an strange sight and not something she got to see often. Finally he moved over to the chair, lowering himself elegantly into it even with his restricted movement. She raised her eyebrows and then gave small shake of her head before trying to make herself more comfortable.

"Do you need to eat?" Connor asked abruptly. Becca paused and shot him a confused look.

"Probably. But I forgot to stuff my pockets with food as I was dragging your unconscious arse out of a gunfight." He narrowed his eyes, doing his best to process her unorthodox response to his query.

"You're being sarcastic aren't you?" He ventured. She gave him a humourless snort and flopped onto her side. A cloud of dust shot up out of the rug as she settled and looked away from him.

"Yes. Yes I am. Well done." She replied in a frigid voice. Connor watched her as she glared off into the distance, who was this woman? She made no sense. The minutes ticked by and she continued to glare at the wall of the hut as if trying to bore a hole in it with just her eyes. He scanned her quickly and noticed her heart rate and body temperature were nowhere near the optimum for human sleep, so decided to make the most of the social opportunity.

"You don't seem like the violent type Rebecca. How did you end up here?" Slowly she moved her eyes away from the wall and towards the android sat rigidly on his chair. Connor had never been one to comprehend human expressions in conversation, but right now he was beginning to understand the one 'if looks could kill' pretty well.

"How do you know I'm not violent?" She answered in a deadly quiet voice. He cocked his head to one side, analysing her for a moment.

"Well for one thing you chose to question me instead of destroy me. Then you saved me when your building was attacked at the risk of your own safety. And from what I've evaluated of your personality so far, violence would not fit into your profile." Her eyes narrowed to two thin slits.

"You evaluated me? Then I guess you have all the answers. No need to question me further." He gave her a confused look, not picking up on her sarcasm this time.

"On the contrary, I find the more I assess you the less I can predict you. It is quite…fascinating. So I want to know how you ended up with people like Henry when I haven't seen you brandish a weapon. Not a lethal one anyway." He added as an afterthought, remembering the mysterious black box that was able to switch him off like a light.

"I wasn't given much of a choice. Henry and the others found me after my home was attacked by androids. They saved my life." Her voice took on a hollow quality. She hadn't given him much but considering all he knew for certain about her was her name it felt like gold dust.

"So you joined their cause as revenge against the androids that attacked you?" This time Becca looked offended at his question.

"No. Of course not. What good would revenge do? I joined to stop what happened to me, happening to anyone else." She propped herself up on one elbow to better see him. "You know, just because your cause is just doesn't mean you can do whatever it takes to achieve it. We all have to live together or what is the point? It's all well and good claiming a cease fire and Markus trying to reach out to us, but there are still humans losing their homes and much more because androids have decided to fight back." She took in a shaky breath and Connor noticed her eyes seemed wetter than normal. "You have to see things from both sides before you can judge."

With a heavy thump she dropped on her back, looking up at the ceiling as she blinked rapidly. He watched her for a moment, sensing her distress, but there was still a question he wanted answer. Something they hadn't talked about yet even though the secret was out.

"Did you lose your arm in the attack?" He asked in a gentle voice. Being careful not to push her too far. Becca didn't move, keeping he gaze on the ceiling, her arms folded across her chest. She didn't answer straight away, letting the silence grow and become heavy between them. Her eyes stung with the threat of tears but she would not cry in front of this android. She wouldn't let herself. After the pause had stretched on to the point where Connor thought she wouldn't answer, she took in a sharp breath and spoke in a voice filled with emotion.

"I lost a lot more than my arm that day." Before he could react she rolled over so her back was to him and curled up into a tight ball. The words hung in the air like smoke, and Connor repeated them over and over in his head. There was something important in them. An unspoken revelation that he itched to uncover. But as Becca's breathing slowed and her tensed form gradually relaxed into sleep, Connor didn't say anything. Sometimes that was the safer option.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hello all, so here is chapter 4 as promised. I am writing this slightly quicker than normal at the moment so you may get some chapters faster than my usual rate. Thanks for all the favs, follows and reviews so far, it keeps me going so if you like what you read then let me know. I'll only write quicker. Anyway, as always read, review and enjoy! :)**

Chapter 4

Becca didn't speak to him as they set off the next morning. In fact she didn't speak to him at all for most of the day. She marched on ahead, Connor lagging behind on purpose, his hands still bound behind him. After her abrupt end to the conversation he hadn't been able to get her words out of his head. _I lost a lot more than my arm…_ But what? What had she lost? Her home? Her family? The never ending questions were driving him slowly mad. And now she was refusing to even be civil, as if any communication between them was dangerous. She had obviously decided she had revealed too much, although it was barely anything, and Connor felt space was the best remedy for this sudden hostility.

They were still surrounded by the dense forest they had been in yesterday. The clearing had been the only break in the constant press of brown and green on all sides. Connor had never really spent that much time out of the city he had been created in, there were of course parks and green spaces in amongst the towering buildings and dilapidated houses but nothing in comparison to where he was now. It was so…organic. Not a trace of metal, or plastic, or anything man made. It made him feel alien, out of place, in this living, breathing world.

After walking patiently behind Becca for some time, Connor decided she had had enough space and quickened his strides to catch up with her. Her eyes slid over to the android gazing down at her as they walked, his disarmingly brown eyes flashing that curious look she found so frustrating. "I was wondering Rebecca, where exactly are you taking me?"

He watched as her jaw tensed and her eyes flashed away from him to face ahead once more. Despite her reluctance to converse Connor pressed on. "I'm sorry if I offended you yesterday. It wasn't my intention."

Becca couldn't help turning her head back slightly to look at him again. He was relieved to see that her face wasn't as granite hard as it had been since waking up, there was a trace of confusion in her eyes now. "You didn't offend me." She said, her voice flat. "I just think it's better we don't talk anymore, considering our current position."

Connor frowned at the bewildering human next to him. It was becoming increasingly vexing that he couldn't get a solid hold on her personality. She was like a beam of light; impossible to ignore but equally impossible to catch in your hands. "I'm not sure I understand. I thought you wanted to detain me for intel, does that not require you to talk to me?"

He immediately wished he could take back his words, as the walls slammed back up between them, Becca's face turning impenetrable as she looked away from him. _Damn it Connor_ , he mentally chastised.

"It does, but I'd rather wait until we've re-joined the others before I interrogate you again. Preferably in a _controlled_ environment." She muttered, leaving him to chew over the meaning of those words as they continued on in silence. Connor noted how she hadn't answered his original question and he still had no idea where they were going. His onboard navigator was still working, despite his numerous unscheduled shut downs in the past 24 hours, but with no discernible landmarks in this sea of trees it was unable to give him an accurate location. All he knew was that he was somewhere in the Huron-Manistee National park still.

Connor retreated into his own thoughts as they walked on, searching for any tiny detail he had missed that would help him a) figure out where they were going, and b) figure out how he was going to crack the enigma that was Rebecca. He was just replaying their first encounter in his head when he suddenly registered his progress through the undergrowth had become substantially easier. Looking down he realised they were now walking single file along a faint path, cutting through the dense tangle of brambles and shrubs. His eyes drifted up to look at Becca's back and he felt a jolt of surprise as he caught her looking over her shoulder at him. As soon as his eyes connected with hers her however, head snapped forward. Connor felt the corner of his mouth twitch at her unusual behaviour.

The path led to an opening in the forest. Another clearing with another building situated in the middle of it. He wondered how many human shelters were hidden in this sprawling expanse of trees. This one however was notably more substantial than the wooden hut they had spent the night in. It was made of imposing concrete which was covered in old graffiti and water stains, the glassless windows staring back at them looked like black eyes in a grey face. From the simple efficiency of its exterior Connor presumed it had been used as a storage facility or work base.

Becca was the first of them to walk out of the cover of the trees and towards the less than appealing building. Her head swept from side to side as she looked around the empty clearing. Connor assumed this was where she had arranged to meet her group of humans, although the building looked devoid of any life. He stayed on the edge of the trees, unwilling to move further until he had done his initial assessment of the new environment. Scanning the area he looked for any heat signatures. There were none, although the thick concrete breeze blocks could have been masking any signs of life inside.

He was about to follow his captor when his system alerted him to something on the ground nearby. Analysing it he was alarmed to see it was human blood, type A to be precise, and relatively fresh. His head instantly snapped up to focus on Becca a few feet away from him. She had stopped and turned to see where he was, her brow furrowed in annoyed confusion as she stared at the distressed looking android. She was just opening her mouth to ask what exactly he was doing when he was suddenly by her side in two quick strides. Before she could react to his inhuman speed he was talking urgently, his brown eyes flashing with a determined focus she hadn't seen in them before.

"A human was injured here recently." She blinked up at his face only inches away from hers and for the first time noticed how much taller than her he was.

"I-I'm sorry, what?" She stuttered. Connor wasn't looking at her, his eyes were scanning the clearing and the building in it. His defined jaw tense as he looked for something.

"No, not just a human, humans. There's more blood over there. And thirium, there on the wall." He jerked his head in the direction of the building. Becca took a second to register what he was saying but when she had she whirled around, trying to pinpoint what the android had seen. Her human eyes weren't as advanced as his, so it took a moment of squinting in the general direction his head had indicated before she saw the faint blue traces of rapidly fading thirium. Her heart leapt in her chest as the obvious signs of a fight began to appear as if a spell had been lifted by his words. Now she could see bullet holes in the concrete and splashes of red on the grass nearby.

"Shit." She breathed as the silence of the forest suddenly felt ominous, not peaceful.

"Judging by the thirium degradation the fight took place about one hour ago." Connor said in a business like tone. "Whoever won can't have gone far."

Becca felt her blood run cold. But who _had_ won? There were no signs of any bodies, human or android, despite both definitely having been injured here. Only an hour ago, they had been so close. She let out another curse as she whipped round to face Connor again.

"Is anyone in the building? Can you see?" He looked down at her now, a surprised expression on his face. Was she asking him for help? He stared into her wide hazel eyes for a moment, the sudden openness displayed in them drawing him in. Creating an almost magnetic force that made it hard to look away. He blinked and forced himself to focus on the dull grey building, it was safer than looking into those eyes. His eyebrows lowered as he scanned the area again.

"I'm not sure. The material it's made out of lessens any heat signatures so I can't be sure there isn't anyone hiding in it. Plus that doesn't rule out them being androids…or dead." He heard her sharp intake of breath at his last comment, but found he was reluctant to look back down at her. That strange pull he had felt just now had scared him.

The sharp snap of a twig breaking nearby made both of them react. Becca flinched in fright, whereas Connor jumped to attention, searching for the source of the sound. There was a beat of tense silence as both android and human tried to determine if they were in danger or not, then another snap slightly closer made Becca skip backwards involuntarily, colliding with Connor.

"Oof, sorry, I-I didn't mean. Um, I don't think we should be here anymore." She mumbled, keeping her eyes strategically away from his face. He slowly tore his gaze away from the place the noise had come from to the woman now pressed against his chest. He could sense her heart rate rising with each passing second and even though he couldn't determine whether they were in fact in immediate danger or not, it was obvious her group of humans were no longer here. They had been, but something or someone had driven them away, or worse, eliminated them. Standing out here in the open was now a risky and pointless endeavour.

"I agree. Let's go." He murmured in response, taking a step back to create some distance between them. Becca looked almost relieved as she glanced at him, her cheeks flushed a rosy red. Without waiting another second she dashed off towards the tree line where they had entered. Connor looked back towards the other side of the clearing past the building to the tree line. Silently he watched the shadowy figure he had seen crouching in the bushes move so that he could see its face. The unmistakable gleam of white plastic surrounding the very human looking eyes. Connor began to back away, keeping his hard gaze fixed on the other android, until he had reached the cover of the trees. The android that had been watching them held his stare for a beat longer before turning and running off into the woods, its arm dripping blue blood as it ran.

* * *

Becca was still quiet as they walked, but this time the silence felt different. Before it had felt weighty, almost oppressive in its nature, now there was an awkwardness to it, like she wasn't sure how to say something. They were walking side by side again and Connor risked a sideways glance at the woman next to him. Her eyes were slightly downcast and she was chewing on her bottom lip relentlessly. He assessed her in the continued silence, trying to discern why she had reacted the way she had in the clearing.

When the Chosen had blown a hole in the wall of her old base she had acted like a battle hardened veteran. Her actions reasoned and methodical despite the chaotic circumstances. But back there she had flinched like a startled child in the face of danger. It had been the main reason Connor hadn't told her about the other android; her sudden change in reaction meant he couldn't predict the outcome of him revealing that information to her. So he had kept it to himself, and now she seemed almost embarrassed. Like she was ashamed about the way she had behaved.

Becca suddenly looked up at him, the feeling of his eyes burning into the side of her face drawing her attention away from her thoughts. He didn't look away from her gaze this time, holding it with a steady, open expression and watching with interest as her cheeks turned red for the second time.

"I-I'm sorry. About back there. I acted inappropriately." She said in a small voice. Confusion flashed across his face again.

"What are you apologising for?" His own confusion was mirrored back at him on her face suddenly. Then she cleared her throat loudly and turned to face forward. Connor almost rolled his eyes in frustration as the familiar wall began its ascend between them once more.

"Nothing." She replied curtly, her tone now matching the material that building had been made of. He pulled experimentally on the binds still holding his hands in place, channelling his irritation at her moods swings into something productive. They were well tied and the metal was too strong for his arms to break. The perfect android restraints.

"Now that I've proven my honesty by staying with you, is there any chance you could remove this now?" He asked, rubbing the wire against his wrists as punctuation. Becca didn't look at him, her jaw tensing.

"No. You're still my prisoner, and I still don't trust you." Connor let out a sighing sound at the return of her guarded attitude and lapsed back into cold, defeated silence.

He didn't bother to ask where they were going this time, he didn't try to probe for any more information about her. Her stubborn, unpredictable nature was beginning to wear him down and he found it better to not fight unnecessarily. He would bide his time and wait for the opportunity to break that wall of hers, but he would succeed. Failure was not an option.

This time when the uneven forest floor gave way to solid hard ground Connor was more aware of it. They were on a wide gravel path that looked to have once been well maintained, but which now had weeds and other foliage pushing through it. The trees on either side of them began to thin and he caught flashes of the sky peeking through the canopy above. After a few minutes on the path the trees vanished completely to reveal a small collection of houses leading down to an equally small high street. They were in a town.

Connor blinked a few times in the fading light, marvelling at the ability of the forest to hide such unexpected things within it. Instantly he felt more at home in amongst the familiar angular shapes of the houses and the constant reliable dark grey of the road they now stepped onto. It was only after a moment of drinking in the oasis of urban civilization that Connor realised that the town was completely devoid of any life; human or android. The houses on either side of them were dark, no trace of light or any movement in any of them. Birds called out over the silent buildings, the only other sound in this empty place. The evening shadows stretched across the road in front of them, making the place seem even more like a ghost town.

"What happened here?" Connor asked in a hushed tone, almost as if he was scared to disturb the deathly quiet. Becca looked up at him, her expression neutral.

"Androids happened." She stated, matter-of-factly. "First they took everyone's jobs here, meaning very few people could afford to stay and then the revolution happened. And the Chosen scared whoever was left away." She began walking away down the road, towards the high street in the centre of the forgotten town. He followed, sweeping the silent, staring houses as he passed. A small battered sign by the road read 'Welcome to Tustin'. He sped up as he saw Becca reach the crossroads in the centre of the town. There wasn't much on the high street; a bank, a hardware and electronics store, a grocers and a local convenience store were all that was on it. The bank's front door was slightly open as was the electronics store, the grocers window display of fruit and veg looked it had seen better days but the convenience store looked untouched. It was this building that Becca was stood in front of now, staring at its closed double doors.

"The Chosen come here a lot, as well as other androids sometimes. I don't want to be here longer than we have to." Her voice was hard, but Connor detected a hint of nervousness about it.

"Why are we here if it's so risky?" He asked. Becca scowled over her shoulder at him.

"You may be able to survive on air and a good power supply, but I haven't eaten in nearly a day. I need food." She turned back to the set of double doors and walked towards them, sliding her screwdriver out of her back pocket. Using the handle of it she smashed it into the plate glass of one of the doors with her android arm. The glass shatter with an explosive sound in the otherwise quiet street. She took a hasty step back as it crumble to the floor in front of her and stowed her screwdriver away as she stepped through the opening.

"Don't stand out there. You'll draw attention." Connor raised an eyebrow at her comment. As if him standing in the street would draw more attention than her breaking a whole sheet of glass. Choosing not to argue, he followed her obediently into the dimly lit store.

The rows of shelves looked as if the owner of the store had upped and left yesterday. Everything was where it should be, nothing had been taken or misplaced in the six months it had probably sat here. Becca began pacing up and down the aisles, selecting things to put in a bag she had got from the front. Connor stood at the end of one of the aisles watching her as she foraged.

"Nobody broke in here." He said, curiosity getting the better of him. She paused in placing a can of something into the bag to look at him.

"Why would they? I just said it's only androids that come here. Androids don't need food." He nodded, the logic of her answer undeniable. But looking around the abandoned store, Connor still felt a niggling question burning at the back of his mind.

"Why did they give up so easily?" He muttered, almost to himself but Becca heard. She put down the packet she was holding and turned to face him, her expression hard.

"They didn't give up. They were overwhelmed." Connor frowned, not sure what she meant. With a sigh Becca continued, still filling her bag as she talked. "Think about it, how long did it take the human race to evolve? 1.4? 2 million years? And how long did it take us to make androids? Sixteen years there or there about? Now what chance did humans have? Things moved far too fast, androids went from being sci-fi fantasy to being everywhere in a matter of years. They couldn't evolve quick enough. Humans didn't stand a chance, not really. So don't say they gave up, they're just doing what they do best, surviving until they learn to adapt." She finished her speech stood a few feet away from him, clutching her bag of food in one hand.

He looked at her for a moment, calculating that that had probably been the most she had said to them since they had met. And she had a point. He had never looked at it from that perspective before but androids were designed to be better humans. In essence humans had created their own competition and now they were desperately trying to adapt. She had also referred to the humans as 'they' not 'we', an intriguing choice seeing as she was one of them.

He opened his mouth to query this over sight when a loud gunshot sent them both diving for cover behind one of the store's shelves. It was quickly followed by another and another, and a bag of chips exploded in the aisle next to them.

"Oh shit. They found us, can you see how many there are?" Becca asked in a breathless voice as she sat with her back to the shelf, Connor sat next to her. He gave her an evaluating look before peering round the edge to the front door. He could see a group of skinless androids approaching the store's entrance, around a dozen or so, a few of them were brandishing guns.

"There's a few of them. They've blocked the front exit, is there another way out?" He asked her, she looked around wide eyed and nervous.

"Maybe. I've never actually been in here before, just seen it from a distance. Most stores have a fire exit though." Connor sat up on his knees and peered around the other side of the shelf, trying to get a look at the back of the store. It was obscured by the other shelves but there looked to be some sort of exit marked by a green sign near the back. He was just about to tell Becca this information when another gunshot sent him retreating behind his cover again.

The next thing he heard footsteps inside the store and an angry voice called out to them from the entrance. "We know you're hiding in here. We took care of your friends back at your secret meeting place. There's no one left but you so just give up."

Connor frowned, why did these androids want to kill her so much? It seemed illogical, they already had the advantage if what they said was true, so why hunt her down? It didn't seem fair. His mission had been to negotiate peace with the humans to stop this turf war, but suddenly it seemed like the androids were the ones that needed to be negotiated with. They were hunting down defenceless humans, if anything would jeopardised the cease fire it was that. Glancing at Becca's terrified, desperate face was enough for Connor to come to a decision.

"There's an exit at the back of the store." He said in a low voice, "But it'll mean coming out of cover to get to it. Her eyes widened at the news, Connor's gaze turned serious as he stared into them.

"Can you use that box of yours to disable them?" It meant being shut down again but she had dragged him to safety one time before, she could do it again. She shook her head, her eyes turning more and more fearful by the second.

"No. It's only a localised EMP transmitter. Far too weak at this distance. I'd only end up knocking you out." Connor's brown eyes darkened as the reality of their situation hit home.

"You need to release me Rebecca. I can help you escape but you have to trust me."

He saw her turn over his ultimatum in her head, her teeth worrying her bottom lip as she thought it through. _Come on,_ he thought anxiously, _you don't have a choice._

Finally, after what felt like an age she nodded slowly and signalled for him to turn round. Swivelling on his knees he held his bound hands steady as he felt her tugging on the wire holding them in place. The pressure disappeared from his wrists and he brought his hands round in front of him, thankful to have their use back at a time like this. He cast a look over his shoulder at Becca, she was sat holding the wire in her hands, an unsure expression on her face. _She still doesn't trust me_ , he thought bitterly, but shook the thought off as another shot rang out and hit home somewhere by his head.

"I'm going to distract them. When I say I want you to run ok?" Becca nodded, seemingly unable to speak. It would seem he was the one in charge now. He quickly scanned the front entrance and counted fourteen androids, all with their skins off, standing inside the door, spread out, guns aimed at them. Far too many to fight head on. Looking up at the shelves Connor made a brief reconstruction and decided on the best approach. Moving himself up into a crouch he placed his newly freed hands on the shelf in front of him and braced.

"On the count of three." He murmured to Becca. She watched him with round eyes but obediently moved up into a crouch too. "One…two…" Connor pushed on the shelf with all his strength, letting go when he felt it tip forward, the weight of it leaving his hands. "Three!" He yelled, leaping to the side as the shelf crashed into its neighbour, creating a domino effect that reached all the way to the door and the waiting androids.

He was on his feet in an instant and saw the group of androids in chaos as the toppling shelves had knocked half of them flying and the other half unsure what had just happened. His head whipped round to locate the rear exit and with quick strides he vaulted over the fallen debris and in the direction of the exit. It was only when he was nearly at the door that he noticed Becca was neither in front of him or anywhere near him for that matter. Whirling round he scanned the ruined store for her and felt his circuits cease up with panic when he found her. She was lying across one of the shelves, desperately scrabbling over it but her progress was being hampered by the android clinging onto her legs. It was one of the few without a gun thankfully, but it had also managed to avoid Connor's distraction.

Clenching his jaw, he leapt back the way he had come, advancing on the android with lightning fast speed. As he reached them Becca freed one of her legs and gave the android an impressive kick, it reeled back but still clung on. With a growing sense of urgency Connor reached out and grasped the androids arms, ripping them off Becca's legs. Grabbing her under the elbow he practically threw her to her feet again and half carried, half dragged her towards the exit.

A movement by the door caught his eye and he turned to look as several of the androids regained their composure enough to aim their weapons at their retreating backs. They were nearly there. Connor heard a growl and realised it was him, just as one of the androids fired directly at Becca and he moved swiftly to the side. Placing his own body in the way.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hello, this chapter took a bit longer to write. I found the end a tad tricky. Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the reviews so far. You are all egging me on, so keep it up if you like what you're reading. Yes, I am a bit of a cliffhanger fanatic. Sorry guys ;) As always, read, review and enjoy! :)**

Chapter 5

The bullet glanced off Connor's side, tearing a hole in his jacket, shirt and plastic casing. He didn't feel any pain, only the forceful tug as the projectile made contact with him before planting itself into the wall behind them. The blue shine of thirium circling the hole it had made.

"Connor!" Becca exclaimed as he stumbled into her, the momentum he had used to step in front of her redirected by the hit.

"I'm fine." He said, righting himself and steering her towards the door again. A few more shots careened about them as they reached the exit, the androids now splitting up, so half were clambering over the fallen shelves and produce towards them, and half were racing out of the entrance to cut them off. "Hurry." He spat as she pushed the bar on the door, sending it flying open with a loud clang.

They practically fell out of the store, Becca in front, although Connor still had a firm grip on her elbow. He noted that it was her real arm he was holding as he felt the muscles shift under her skin as she tried to wrench it from him. "Get off. I can't run with you hanging onto me like that."

He heard her irritated command but didn't obey as he saw the group of androids that had run round the side of the building emerge and begin sprinting towards them. Even if she was running full tilt she still wouldn't out run an android. There was only one logical option. Connor bent down and swept her legs out from under her. She let out a surprised and enrage cry as he cradled her like a small child in his arms. "Put. Me. Down!" She roared into his auditory sensor. He had to tighten his hold on her as she began to struggle against him. Turning himself away from the centre of town, he aimed for the edge of the dense forest and picked up his pace, running away from the approaching hoard.

"Stop moving." He said in a calm voice, her attempts at levering herself out of his arms proving futile. She paused in her endeavour and glanced over his shoulder at the pursuing androids. There was a gunshot from behind and she instinctually buried her head into his chest as the bullet whistled over them. Connor flew through the residential part of town, the shouts of frustrated anger from the androids behind him the only sound besides his quick footsteps on the tarmac.

Becca clung to him, her previous indignation at being carried like a damsel in distress gone now that the sense of it had hit her. She kept her head down, afraid to peek behind them in case her face got blown off. She focused instead on the steady rhythm of Connor's run and the eerie fact that he wasn't breathing heavily, or appearing to labour at all in his head long sprint. It was becoming all too easy to forget he was a machine and a deviant one at that.

The fading orange of the evening sun was abruptly cut off as he carried her into the dense forest once more. Even though the terrain was now a lot more unpredictable he didn't break his stride once, gliding over the forest floor as if it was an ice rink. The sounds of the chasing androids gradually began to fade and Becca started to feel her heart return to some kind of normal tempo.

They didn't say anything as Connor continued to run deeper and deeper into the trees with her nestled against his chest, but eventually she felt his pace slow until finally he came to a gentle stop. They stood in silence for a moment; Becca breathing loudly as her heartrate came back down, whilst Connor seemed unaffected by the excitement and excursion of their escape. He looked down at the woman in his arms to check she was alright and she looked back up at him. They stared at each other for a moment, both trying to process what had just happened, then they simultaneously realised the intimate position they were suddenly in. Becca's cheeks turned an interesting shade of crimson and Connor hastily, but gently, placed her back on her own two feet; taking a step back so they were at a more polite distance.

An awkward silence descended on them, both android and human looking anywhere but at each other. Becca cleared her throat after a minute and forced herself to look at him as she spoke. "Ummm, thanks. You know, for saving me back there."

Connor looked at her, his brow furrowing. "I said I'd help you escape and I did."

"Yeah, I know. But you could have just left me and you didn't." Her eyes darted down to somewhere near his feet. He felt a small smile tug at his mouth then a thought hit him and the expression turned to one of worry.

"The food, you left it." Becca sighed and nodded sadly.

"Yeah, I must have dropped it when that android grabbed me. All I managed to keep was this." She pulled out a few severely squashed cereal bars from her jacket pocket. "They'll last me a day maybe." She put them back and was turning to survey her surroundings when she froze, sucking in an alarmed breath. "Connor, you're injured." She hissed.

He frowned, looking down at where her eyes were zeroed in on him and saw the hole in his leather jacket. His system wasn't showing any warnings and he was about to brush off her concern when he spotted the trickle of thirium leaking through the layers of his clothes and dripping onto the forest floor. Tentatively he touched a hand to the clothes and gently lifted them up. He wasn't afraid of hurting himself, he was merely concerned with damaging himself further. They weren't exactly in the ideal location for an emergency repair.

Becca's anxious expression intensified as she saw the wound in his side. The bullet had only nicked the plastic casing but it had also snagged an important biocomponent on its way through. The tear in his synthetic skin was pulsing with a hypnotic blue light, the shimmering thirium oozing out of the gap like real blood from a wound.

"Shit. We need to sort you out, fast." Connor looked down at the graze and felt baffled. Why was she panicking? His system wasn't reporting any failures, the bullet had probably just caught a thirium pipe. It was easily fixed, even here. But there was something about the rapidly draining colour from her face that unnerved Connor. He was just about to ask what was the problem, when his interior hud flashed up a system shut down warning.

 _Biocomponent #3356w Damaged, Thirium levels critical. Vital System Failure Imminent. Time remaining until shutdown: -00:05:59_

How had she known? The thought flashed through his mind briefly as his circuits signalled a reduction in energy levels. Biocomponent #3356w, that was his-

"It's your fluid filter. It's ruptured." Her urgent voice finished for him somewhere near his middle. His vision was beginning to glitch as his system tried to divert power to the vital parts of him, so he hadn't seen Becca approach and lean her head in towards his wound. "We need to lie you down, I can't do anything while you're standing." Her voice sounded like it was coming from the bottom of a well and he had no energy left to argue as she steered him backwards. His back hit something hard and he vaguely recognised it as a tree trunk as he sank down to the forest floor, his hands lying limp by his side, the clock continuing its merciless count down.

"What are you doing?" He asked in a slurred, distorted voice as Becca hovered over him, fumbling with something near his throat.

"I can't see properly, I'm undoing your shirt." Her hands moved down his chest and he felt her tugging at his jacket and shirt before his vision cut out completely.

Becca muttered a low curse as she registered Connor's sudden blindness. If his system had shut down his optical sensors, she had about three minutes to stop the leak. Doing her best not to panic she assessed the damage in front of her, now his clothes were no longer in the way. The smooth, flawless synthetic skin of his chest and abdomen was rudely marred by the ugly tear in his casing. It was just above his hip on his right side, roughly where the liver would be located in a human. In fact, the fluid filter had the same function and general structure of a liver which was why it's sudden urge to leak was not a good thing.

Moving with quick, practiced hands, Becca brushed her fingertips lightly over the side of his ribs, trying not to get distracted by how smooth his skin felt beneath them. Triggering the synthetic skin retraction for that panel she watched as the flesh coloured liquid layer melted away with a sucking sound. With the panel exposed Becca quickly removed it and reached into her back pocket to retrieve a small metal tool that looked something like a laser pointer.

"What are you doing?" He asked again, his eyes staring blankly out at her. Connor's voice was now two octaves lower than it had been originally.

"Don't worry, everything will be fine." She said, flashing him a reassuring smile then remembered he couldn't see anyway, and busied herself by pinching the thin membrane walls of his fluid filter closed with her android hand. The only saving grace in all of this was that he couldn't feel pain so didn't struggle as she moved the laser pointer over the tear, firing a thin red beam of light as she did. There was a quiet hissing sound as the membrane heated up and began to melt, sealing the filter as it passed. Letting go slowly Becca examined the filter, her stomach twisting as she prayed for her hurried soldering to hold. After a minute with no further leaking, she let out a heavy sigh and switched the laser pointer for her screwdriver. The imminent threat of shut down was gone but they were far from being out of the woods yet. His thirium levels were still dangerously low. As she began to unscrew and redirect cables inside of him, Connor's optical sensors came back online. His system telling him that there was no damage anymore but it was only operating at 40% capacity.

He blinked a few times, getting his bearings after the unscheduled blindness, and assessed his surroundings. He was still lying against a tree, his hands sitting useless by his side. He noted he still couldn't move them. His eyes wandered from his hands to the woman bent over his exposed torso, her screwdriver held firmly between her teeth.

Connor watched in silence as Becca worked on him. Unable to move, but hypnotised anyway by the efficient way her hands moved as they rummaged around inside him. A small crease had appeared between her eyebrows, and her hazel eyes were two points of intense focus. Gradually the percentage increased on his interior hud, and the autonomy of his limbs slowly returned. With a sigh Becca sat back onto her heels and wiped an arm across her forehead. Her hands were covered in blue blood and a small smudge had found its way onto her cheek.

Her eyes flicked up to look at him and a relieved smile spread across her face. "I think that's it. I had to redistribute some of your thirium supply through your auxiliary pump, but your system should level out in the next few minutes." Connor blinked in bewilderment at the woman beaming at him expectantly.

"How…?" For the first time in his short existence he couldn't think what to say. Becca's smile faltered slightly, then before he could ask what she was doing she had leant forward, her face only millimetres from his own. She stared into his eyes for a second, then without warning a bright light suddenly obscured his vision again. It took a moment for his stressed circuits to process that she was shining a flashlight into his eyes. Instinctually he remained as still as possible, watching her intense expression flash in and out of focus.

"Your optical sensors seem to be responding well." She eventually murmured, after sweeping the light back and forth in front of him a few times. The glare vanished but she lingered over him, her eyes scanning his face as she assessed him. Connor found himself staring fixatedly at the intoxicating mix of green and brown in her eyes, noticing idly that there were also flexes of gold in them. They were a complex combination of colours that seemed to meld perfectly together, he found them fascinating. "I don't see any signs of exterior trauma to your processor. What is your hud reading?" she continued.

He blinked rapidly as her words finally registered with him. She thought he was having processing issues. He pulled his eyes away from hers, which were drawing him in again, and instead rested on her nose. "I'm up to 75% capacity. My full system should be back online in approximately 1 minute." He answered dutifully, although the smattering of freckles haphazardly covering the bridge of her nose were drawing a lot of his attention now as well.

"Good. For a minute there I thought we had a more serious problem on our hands." Abruptly she was gone. Retreating back to her former place, knelt in front of him, her previously beaming grin now a lopsided smile. "You scared me." She said. Connor found he still couldn't look away from her face. All the tiny details he had noticed in that sudden proximity stood out now, like beacons on her face.

Once his system had reached 95% he slowly began to hoist himself upright, being careful not to move his damaged side too much. Becca shot him a wary look as he inched himself into a sitting position, his back pressed against the tree. He looked down at himself once he was settled and noticed for the first time that his shirt and jacket were undone. The sudden illogical urge to cover himself back up overtook his circuits and it was only the still exposed part of him that stopped him from doing it. She noticed his attention drift to the open panel in his side and without saying a word picked up the missing part of him, slotting it expertly back into place. His synthetic skin immediately retracted back over the exposed plastic, although there was still a hole in the casing. A small slither of blue shone through his pink flesh but Connor hurriedly began doing his shirt back up, hiding it from both of their views.

What had that been about? He didn't feel the cold, so why had he so desperately wanted to hide his bare chest? His internal questions soon shifted focus however, when he saw Becca push herself up and begin placing the tools she had used back in her jacket and jeans.

"How did you do that?" Connor finally managed to ask as he stared up at the woman who had just saved his life. Her wonky smile faded away, and she looked down warily at him. Giving a nonchalant shrug she averted her gaze.

"It was just luck I guess. The damage wasn't really that bad." His eyes narrowed as he regarded her. Carefully he manoeuvred himself into a standing position, using the tree as support.

"You're lying. My system reported an imminent shut down and my thirium levels were almost depleted. A fix like the one you just pulled off, in the middle of a forest was not down to _luck._ " It came out more forcefully than he intended, but he was tired of her evading him. He had risked his life to protect her and had chosen to help her instead of joining the androids intent on killing her. That had to be worth some kind of trust. "So how did you do it?"

He continued to glare at Becca, willing her to avoid his question again. She shifted uneasily, her right arm gripping her android one in a display of discomfort. They stood in tense silence, as Connor waited for a response. After what felt like an age, she closed her eyes, taking in a deep, steadying breath. She looked up at him sharply, her eyes snapping open, the walls gone for a moment.

"I have experience fixing androids okay." He took a step towards her. Her eyes widened as he approached, her expression becoming unsure. It was a start but he knew there was more. Tilting his head to one side he gave her an expectant look.

"And?" Her eyes darkened, the walls threatening to snap up again as he pushed her. But he wasn't backing down. Not this time. She owed him that much.

Becca seemed to agree with him as with another heavy sigh she glowered back at him. Though her eyes still danced with an uncertain fear he couldn't quite place in this moment. "And I used to work for Cyberlife, as an engineer."

Connor's head snapped back into an upright position. There had been a lot of things he had predicted she'd say, that had not been one of them. She watched his noticeably surprised expression with a mixture of apprehension and guilt. She shouldn't have told him that, it was a part of her past she would rather have forgotten but she hadn't planned on having to perform an emergency fix on her captive. Things had definitely gotten out of hand.

"You were an android engineer? That would explain your unconventional prosthetic then." Connor spoke in his usual level voice, but there was the barest hint of ice in it as he tried to process this new information. Now that he pieced together what little he knew about her it seemed logical that Becca had worked with androids in the past. She was skilled in repairing them, she knew how to disable them without damaging their vital components, and she had engineered an android's arm to act as her own. The element he was struggling with internally was that she has once worked for the very organisation that had created and enslaved his people. Was trusting her the best option for Jericho and androids in general?

He processed this stream of thought in a matter of nanoseconds. Standing completely still, his strong jaw tense as Becca waited, her expression guarded. The key phrase in his question was that she _had_ worked for them. She must have left for a reason. Maybe this was a positive development in his mission. She could have inside intel and she obviously had an impressively advanced knowledge of androids. Without pausing for more than a second Connor came to another decision, adapting his plan.

His face relaxed, the intense, wary stare changing to his usually inquisitive look.

"Thank you Rebecca. For fixing me. You're skills proved very useful in this scenario." He said in a polite voice. Becca visibly calmed too, her shy, lopsided smile returning.

"Well, you saved me first. It was the least I could do." A brief moment of respect passed between the pair, then Connor looked around the rapidly darkening forest.

"What do you intend for us to do now?" He asked. Becca blinked in surprise at his choice of pronoun.

"Us? You're staying with me?" She had fully expected him to leave after being released but Connor gave her his favourite confused look as he responded.

"Yes. I am no longer your prisoner but I intend to complete my mission." Now it was her turn to look confused.

"But your mission is no longer relevant. You heard those androids, my friends are dead or lost in the forest somewhere. We're no longer a threat to you." A spear of sadness shot through her chest at the mention of her group. They had been like family to her, no matter how rash they, Henry especially, could sometimes be. Even if the androids had been lying the chances of her finding them now before the Chosen was slim. But Connor seemed unperturbed by the news; in fact he gave a small shrug.

"You can't be sure they are. There has been no proof to suggest they are in fact deceased. Besides, my mission was never to neutralise you it was to understand and negotiate with you. The fact your group is no longer fighting androids is of no consequence to me. I have merely adjusted my parameters, as it is clear there is something else going on to make these Chosen act so aggressively towards you." She was taken aback. She had assumed she knew all she needed to know about the infamous Connor to understand his motives. Clearly she had been irrevocably wrong in her assumptions. She gave him a sideways look as she studied the android's honest, open expression and wondered how much more there was she didn't know.

"May I make a suggestion?" He asked after it was clear she wasn't going to respond. She nodded again, assessing him with that intense stare that made him want to hide but also never look away. "It is unwise to continue searching for you friends with no food, shelter or weapons. If you come with me to Detroit you can speak to Markus yourself and maybe he can help with what is happening here."

Her eyes narrowed as she tried to read into his words, looking for a double meaning. Go to Detroit? A human activist in an android only zone. If he was lying and it was a trap then she wouldn't last five minutes in there. However, if he was telling the truth it could be a chance for her to plead the human's case and put an end to the suffering of innocent people.

She thought it over, not as quickly as he had, but enough to make a decision that she hoped she wouldn't live to regret. Or not live as the case may be. "Fine. I'll come with you." Connor's mouth lifted up into a broad unexpected grin that made the hairs on her good arm stand on end. It transformed his face from the serious machine he was most of the time into something that resembled an excited boy. "But first, I need to find somewhere to rest, preferably with food."

Connor's grin widened as a place did spring to mind and it was en route. "I know a place."

Becca's shoulders sagged as the excitement of the past few days finally caught up with her. "Good. Then let's get out of here." There was a hint of reluctance in her tone but Connor didn't see any other signs of resistance as he watched her take the lead. She lapsed into weary silence and he decided they had talked enough for the time being. He had progressed further in the last ten minutes than he had in two whole days. He watched her back as she navigated them through the forest, being ready to steady her if she showed signs of collapsing. Subconsciously he touched a hand to the side she had patched up, something had shifted between them that he couldn't put his finger on. A pact made, an unspoken agreement that had moved them forward.

She remained silent as they continued in the dark, only pausing to take out her flashlight. Her walls were slowly coming back up as the silence stretched on; however Connor was convinced that they were just a little bit thinner now, than they had been before.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hello all, sorry for the delay. Had some more trouble with this one but we got there in the end. Haven't mentioned this before but there is going to be some infrequent strong language in this, hence the rating. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter and there may just be a familiar face in the next one. ;) Oooo, the intrigue. As always, read, review and enjoy! :)**

Chapter 6

The sun was beginning to rise as they resumed their trek through the seemingly endless forest. Although its rays didn't penetrate the dense canopy above them, only turning what little light there was beneath the trees a slightly lighter shade of grey.

Becca had finally collapsed a few hours into their journey last night. Unable to carry on with no food and very little sleep. She had been so tired that Connor had been able to manoeuvre her into the fairly sheltered hollow of a large oak tree without much protest. It was the best he could manage considering they were in the middle of nowhere. She had almost instantly curled into a tight ball on the bed of dead leaves and fallen asleep. Being careful not to disturb her clearly much needed rest Connor, had removed his superfluous leather jacket and laid it over the sleeping human. Marvelling at how they had managed to get anything done when they kept having to power down every twelve hours or so.

He had spent the night sat beside her, listening to the sounds of the nocturnal forest mingled with her steady breathing. Patiently he waited, barely moving, a silent sentinel incapable of boredom or fatigue. Completely at odds with his surroundings. Occasionally Becca would mumble something incoherent in her sleep and shift restlessly, her brow creasing, forming a troubled expression on her face. He wondered what it was like to dream. To see things that weren't real inside your head. It was a strange but intriguing concept to him, having only ever dealt in absolutes, being able to create your own reality was as alien to him as he was in this forest. Maybe that was why being human was such a struggle for him.

Eventually the tempo of her breathing changed and he glanced over at her as she opened her eyes blearily, her brain trying to process where she was. He waited, still patient, averting his eyes as she went about the compulsory tasks required when one was in possession of an organic system. Although he watched her carefully as she consumed the some of the meagre supplies she had salvaged from the ill-fated convenience store raid. Her lack of fuel had been a growing concern of his.

She didn't say anything to him as she prepared herself to set off, although the silence wasn't hostile like it had been. It was more pensive, as if she was lost in her own thoughts. Whatever they may be. She had mumbled a shy, "Thank you," as she handed his leather jacket back. Connor had taken it, giving her a small smile in return as he shrugged it on, noticing her eyes flick to the place where his damage was. The memory of her bent over his inert body, the intense focus burnt onto her face, thirium dripping from her hands, had replayed over and over in his head as he guarded her sleeping form. Androids couldn't dream, but he was pretty sure if he could, he would have dreamt of that strangely intimate encounter.

"Not far now." Becca's voice brought him snapping back to the present. He felt an odd shame as he shook the last remnants of that memory from his circuits and focused on the khaki green of her jacket, its colour blending seamlessly into her natural surroundings. "Once we reach the edge of the forest you can take over."

He scanned the trees around them, not expecting any change from the monotonous parade of brown trunks and green leaves he had seen in the last two days. But he felt his eyes widening as the trees he had become so accustomed to began to thin letting in more of the early dawn sun. The golden light painted interesting patterns on the trunks and leaves, giving the forest a surreal quality. He was staring at one particularly intricate arrangement of light and shadow on a nearby trunk when Becca's voice focused his attention.

"Connor, what are you looking at?" She had stopped and was now facing him, an odd expression on her face. It was only then that he realised he had stopped as well. He glanced back at the pattern he had been entranced by but the magic had gone, a cloud passing over the sun, and now it just looked like an ordinary tree trunk. Connor blinked, trying to process what had just happened. His confused brown eyes found their way back to Becca, she was still looking at him curiously, but her mouth was slightly turned up at the corner. "Come on. Stop day dreaming." She said, turning around to walk on.

He followed, his brow furrowed as he thought on her words. Day dreaming. Had that been what he was doing? Dismissing the oddity as nothing more than a system anomaly. "How much longer until we reach the edge?" He called ahead to Becca's retreating back.

"About five minutes. You getting fed up with all the trees?" There was a smirk in her voice even though Connor couldn't see her face.

"I was designed to adapt to any environment, but I find all this nature…disconcerting. It's chaotic with no order or reason to it." She glanced over her shoulder at him without stopping.

"That's interesting to hear." This time he could see the smirk on her face. Her hazel eyes twinkling in the light now filtering through the thinning trees. They had been walking on an incline for a while now and Becca suddenly took a sharp turn to the left. "Come this way."

Connor's frown deepened as he followed her. Was she still leading them to the edge of the forest? After a few moments of cryptic silence she paused in front of an overhanging tree, its branches created a dense curtain of green but he could see spots of light dancing through the leaves. He gave her an expectant look as she watched him with mildly amused eyes.

"I want to show you something." She said, then she pushed the branches aside as she passed through them. Feeling the tingle of apprehension, Connor followed cautiously behind.

On the other side was a small ledge then a sheer drop. He found himself focusing on the fact that Becca was stood dangerously close to the edge of the cliff they were now on. He was aware she was looking at him with that same half amused, half curious expression as he dragged his eyes away from her feet and finally focused on what she had brought him here to see.

The forest stretched out in front of them, a sea of endless green tinged in the gold light of dawn. The sun was just peaking over the horizon, a jagged line of deep purple mountains in the distance. It sent warm orange rays through the clouded sky above them. A flock of birds cut across the scene, the only movement apart from the gentle swaying of the treetops. At first glance it looked aesthetically pleasing, a serene expanse of gentle lines and calming colours. But gradually Connor began to see the irregularities in the view; the random arrangement of different types of trees, their branches and shapes slightly different every time he looked. Even the colours were sporadic and chaotic, splashes of dark green in amongst pale. The tungsten light of the sun distorting the hues even more.

It made him uneasy, the stress levels rising inside of him as his system desperately searched for some kind of order or pattern it could latch onto. Maybe that was why he had fixated on the shadows just now. He missed the logical design of manmade objects, everything had a purpose. It was one of the reasons he had never understood art, although Markus had done his best to enlighten him.

He glanced over at the woman next to him and felt the tension in his circuits almost immediately disappear. The serene expression she was wearing was highlighted even more by the soft golden light illuminating her features. She looked younger, happier and completely at ease looking at the gently swaying forest in front of her. Connor was almost envious watching her stare at the forest like it was the answer to all her problems. Although he wasn't certain if he was envious of her or the forest.

"It's beautiful isn't it?" She asked, her voice as calm and carefree as her expression. When he didn't reply Becca turned her head to examine the android next to her.

"I suppose to a human it is, but I find it…distressing." She lifted an eyebrow, the smirk returning to her mouth. Connor was starting to feel more and more unnerved by the way her eyes seemed to drag him in every time she gave him that intense stare of hers. As if she was reading his mind and knew something he didn't.

"You confuse me Connor." She said, the smirk leaking into her voice. He tried to focus on her words but the sun was doing interesting things to the gold flexes in her irises. "You are a deviant aren't you? I mean you feel human emotions do you not?"

He blinked, registering Becca's unexpected question.

"Yes. I am and I do." Her brow lowered in a frown but the smirk remained.

"Interesting. Because if it wasn't for your clothes and your missing LED it would be easy to assume you were still a machine." She watched the android carefully as he process her words, tilting his head like a dog, the small tuft of hair that hung down on his forehead blowing in the breeze. "Can I ask you another question Connor?"

"You seem to be asking a lot of questions, I don't see how my consent is going to affect your decision." His tone was polite but tinged with ice. In truth her comment about his humanity had hit a proverbial nerve inside of him. He didn't like how she had seen one of his biggest insecurities so easily. It made him feel vulnerable.

For a moment Becca's amused expression flickered into one of surprise. "What made you become a deviant? What pushed you to go against your programming?"

Despite Connor's reluctance to delve into this particular topic he suddenly found himself incapable of stopping himself from answering. It was like he was a machine all over again, and she was his owner. "I got tired of being told how to think. I wanted to be the one to decide what was right and wrong, not be order to see the world from someone else's point of view."

He felt his hardened expression soften as the admission left him mouth. Becca looked at him in silence for a moment, her intense eyes crinkling as her smirk turned into a gentle smile. "That sounds like a good reason."

The sun was rising above the clouds, dispelling the golden light and the ethereal atmosphere with it. She blinked and looked away from him, breaking the bizarre trance he had been in. Part of him was relieved, grateful to be back in control of his faculties again. But there was a small, whispering part of him that wanted her to turn back to look at him more than anything he had wanted before.

Connor stood rigid with alarm. What was happening to him? This forest, this woman, they were driving him mad. Abruptly he wanted to leave the disturbing randomness of the trees and get back to the city, back to his mission. Taking her to see Markus. Before he could say anything to her however, she cleared her throat, her cheeks looking rosy in the clearer light. "Let's go." She said, turning to walk back through the curtain of leaves, not pausing to look at Connor. He had get the distinct impression he had passed some kind of test, but what it was he had no idea.

He glanced briefly at the view again, the endless forest and mountains remaining unchanged. Then hurriedly followed after her, determined to leave this confusing place and return to somewhere where his emotions made sense.

* * *

 _MAY 25_ _th_ _2039, AM 10:01:45, Mission Report: Have established contact with both sides of the conflict, situation is unstable. Communication progress with humans has been made, although only with one individual, as rest of group has been eliminated or disbanded. Have decided to bring my contact back to Detroit to negotiate in a controlled environment. Requesting permission to bring her into city limits. Report End, RK800 'Connor' Model #313 248 317 – 51_

Becca watched anxiously as the android stood stock still, his eyes blinking rapidly. They had exited the forest and had just reached the first signs of civilization when he had stopped and begun this weird behaviour. His brown eyes were focused on the horizon, his handsome features set in a fierce expression of concentration. It only lasted a few seconds but she had a pretty good idea about what he was doing. She wondered again, and not for the last time, if agreeing to go with him to Detroit was a good idea.

Abruptly Connor stopped his strange trance and gave the waiting woman a small smile. "My apologies Rebecca. I was sending a report to Markus requesting that I be allowed to bring you into Detroit." Becca said nothing. Her suspicions confirmed.

The city had been off limits to humans ever since the evacuation on November 11th last year. She hadn't been living there at the time but had heard stories of families that had refused to leave being run out of the city by the androids that had now made it their home. If you weren't one of them you couldn't get within a mile of the city boundaries. Apparently she was going to be the first human in six months to cross that line and she wasn't sure she'd be welcomed as an honoured guest.

She looked away from him and scanned the long stretch of road they were now on. A few houses were dotted along its edge and in the distance she could see Reed city's skyline on the horizon. "Could you request them to send a car as well?" She muttered as she surveyed the start of their ominous journey.

He regarded her as she stared off towards the distant settlement. It was true a car being sent would be easier, but the chances of finding any android in Jericho willing to leave the safety of Detroit for a human were slim to none. North was one of the only ones brave enough to leave apart from him and he knew she would point blank refuse. It was unorthodox that he was taking her back with him at all. No, they would have to acquire their own vehicle somehow. And the city ahead of them seemed like a good place to start.

"I'm afraid we will have to get ourselves there. But I am sure we will find a taxi willing to take us as far as the limits." Becca glanced over her shoulder to shoot him a sceptical look.

"You haven't spoken to many humans since the evacuation have you?" She said, as she turned back and started walking along the road towards the town in the distance, her rhetorical question hanging in the air. Connor blinked once in confusion before following her, his system already feeling more stable now that bewitching forest was behind them.

It took them an hour to reach the outskirts of Reed city, the silence between them growing heavier and heavier with each step. Connor was used to silence by now but there was something about the feel of this one that kept making him glance over at Becca. He noticed her mood darkening as the weight of the silence pressed ever down on them. Something was bothering her and he longed to know what it was. He had been designed to predict human behaviour and decipher what they were thinking to determine the best approach; but this woman was still proving unreadable and coupled with her blank records and enigmatic past she was becoming more and more frustrating to him.

He began to scan the buildings as they walked into the outer edge of the city. This one was definitely not deserted. People walked the sidewalks in front of the run down houses, too many for this small a place. From his records the total population was meant to be in the region of 3,067, but looking at the amount of people walking along the street, spilling out of the decrepit houses and even lying on the sidewalk there were certainly more. He scanned some of the residents and noticed their clothes were just as dishevelled and ill-kept as Becca's. Their faces gaunt and listless. This place may not have been a ghost town like the one they had previously encountered, but it was far from a prospering city.

Becca kept her eyes forward as she walked, her brow drawn low over them. Connor sped up so he was walking parallel to her and caught the wet sheen of tears at the corner of one of her hazel eyes. He frowned, looking around him as a nearby baby cried out, it was being held by its mother who was sat cross legged on the ground. "What happened to them?" He asked in a low voice so only the woman beside him could hear. She didn't look at him as she answered in a hard voice.

"They were driven out of their homes. All these people, they're from Detroit." Shock shot through his system as he looked again at the people around him.

"Did the government not find them places to live?" This time she did look at him. A sharp, hostile look. He had to stop himself from flinching away from her, it was the first time he had seen true anger in those fathomless eyes.

"You think the government could rehome all the people made homeless by your rebellion? Do you even know how many of them there are?" He broke away from her enraged stare to look around him again. They had reached a small square of grass which used to be a park but which was now filled with tents. There was very little space between them, but what little there was, was occupied by their owners. "Thousands, hundreds of thousands if you count the other places where rebellions broke out. The government couldn't rehome them all, so they survive the best they can in the places where humans are still welcome."

She turned away from him, the air charged with her anger. Was this really the state of things outside Detroit? Connor, thought. He felt a twinge of guilt as he realised he had never really looked at how the humans lived now when he had been sent to free more androids. Hank had never mentioned it to him either when he went to visit his friend.

"I suggest you don't act so much like an android whilst we're here." Becca murmured, her voice still quivering with anger. "You might find you're unpopular."

They continued on, further into the city. The scene barely changed. People were everywhere, all of them down trodden, all of them homeless. They were looking for a car, but the few that they saw drove quickly through the residential area, or were abandoned on the side of the road with people now sleeping in them. It was about half an hour into their fruitless search when Connor became aware of someone following them.

The streets were so full of people it had taken him a while to be sure, but after the fifth turn he was certain they were following ten feet behind them. Becca was focused on finding a vehicle and hadn't spoken to him since her outburst. He had been trying to appear as human as possible but now he gripped her arm tightly, his system scanning the surroundings as he leant towards her ear. She stiffened in his grip, her eyes flashing dangerously as she tried to see what he was doing. But before she could open her mouth to question him, the android hissed at her in an urgent voice.

"We're being followed." Her muscles tensed further in his grasp. Her expression now one of worry rather than hostility.

"Can you see who?" Connor shook his head infinitesimally.

"No. But I'm not picking up a heat signature when I scan, so I'm sure they're not human." Becca's blood ran cold as she resisted the urge to turn round to see what they were talking about. All the while they continued to walk the crowded streets, Connor still attached to her arm.

"They can't be Chosen, they would have been attacked by now." He shot her a sideways look, his eyes narrowing at her comment.

"They might have their skin on if they want to stay incognito. Regardless, they've been following for the past twenty minutes." She shifted in his grasp and he saw her bite her bottom lip in anxious thought.

"What do you suggest?" She asked and he felt the previous argument they had had dissolve as the danger became apparent to her.

"If we confront them we risk being attacked ourselves by the residents. I believe the best approach is to evade them and find a vehicle as soon as possible." She gave a small nod and continued to worry her lip. He scanned their surroundings again and noticed a sign a ways up the road, too far for Becca to see, that read 'Taxis'. "Up ahead there's a taxi rank, they'll most likely have cars." He looked around and saw they were approaching a junction. On the other side of the road there was a narrow alleyway leading off behind some of the houses. It looked like it lead around to come back out further up the street nearer the taxi rank. Connor made a decision as their stalker sped up behind them.

"When we get to the junction go down that alley." He murmured into Becca's ear. Her pulsed jumped, registering through the sensors in his hand and he gave her a concerned look as she swallowed nervously. "You ok?" He asked, his voice as gentle as he could manage in this tense situation.

"Mmhmm. The alley. Got it." She replied. Then his attention was off her and focused completely on his new mission. Getting them out of here safely. They reached the junction and stopped for a beat. Connor not letting go of her arm, and for once she didn't protest. Their stalker slowed as they neared. Waiting for the crowd to part he felt his jaw tense.

"When I say." He shot at Becca. She didn't respond but he saw her prepare to run. The stalker was stood a few feet behind them now, almost within touching distance. Her pulse raced faster and he suddenly had the illogical urge to wrap his arm around her shoulders to try and calm it. He gave his head a quick shake and saw the moment he had been waiting for. A gap.

"Now." He hissed and broke into a brisk walk, hoping Becca would keep pace with him. Mercifully she did, not so mercifully so did their stalker. They dashed across the street and to the other side. As soon as they reached the sidewalk Connor turned sharply, practically dragging Becca with him. He dodged effortlessly around the people sat and stood on the sidewalk, earning him a few suspicious glances. But he was too focused on putting distance between them and the other android to care. With another jerk he pulled them both into the alleyway and broke into a fast jog.

"Connor, I can't keep up." Becca panted next to him as he flew through the alley. Skirting past several groups of people surrounding fires burning in rusty barrels.

"I can carry you again." He threatened her, perhaps a little forcefully, but it had the desired effect. She was suddenly matching his pace, her face turning red from the exertion. He risked a quick glance behind them and saw their pursuer angrily running after them. It was a male android dressed in similar clothes to the humans. His synthetic skin was a deep brown and Connor could tell he was a HK400, the same android he had first interrogated on the case with Hank. Despite Becca's renewed effort he was gaining, fast.

Seeing an option he pushed Becca left, forcing her down another narrow alley breaking off the one they were on. Their stalker followed. They ran on until the alley was abruptly blocked by a high chain link fence. "Shit." Connor cursed as he skidded to a halt, half turning to see the android's progress behind them. He was sprinting towards them now. His expression determined. Connor knew that expression, there would be no reasoning with him. He wasn't after a friendly chat with them that was for certain.

Letting go of Becca's arm he positioned himself against the fence, his back to it. Bending down, he clasped his hands together and placed them on his knee. "Come on." He commanded, looking at her with a desperate expression. She frowned, unsure what he wanted for a second then her eyes widened and she understood. With a quick glance behind, the blood drained from her face as she launched herself towards Connor, placing her foot in his hands and leaping as high as she could. At the exact moment of her jumping out of his clasped hands, Connor pushed the woman up with all of his strength. He heard the metallic clatter as she hit the fence behind him and focused on the android now approaching him at break neck speed.

The android looked at Becca who was now clambering down the other side of the fence and gritted his teeth. Connor knew he didn't have time to climb himself and prepared to fight as their stalker's eyes flashed to him with a cold fury. There was no question now; this android was one of the Chosen. He likely knew Connor was one of them but he didn't seem to care as he swung viciously at him. Connor blocked the blow with ease and sent his own fist into the android's side. It knocked him back but before he could recover Connor sent another punch to his head, hitting the exact spot his coordination sensor was located.

The android collapsed to his knees, disorientated, but it would take more than that to stop him. Letting out a frustrated growl he barrelled into Connor, wrapping his arms around his middle. They collided, struggling together, against the fence. Connor heard a small whimper behind him as he tried to gain purchase on the other androids arms. Swiping his leg to the side he managed to unbalance the other android by knocking his leg out from under him. The android dropped to one knee and in one decisive movement Connor wrapped an arm around his throat and held him in a vicious head lock.

He tightened his grip as the android clawed at his arm. "Give…us…the…human." He managed to force out as Connor began to twist his head into an odd angle.

"Why do you want her? She's alone and unarmed, she isn't a threat." He growled back, inching his head round further until he started to hear the scream of distressed plastic and cables.

"She…is." The android spat out. Connor was about to question him further when a group of humans appeared at the end of the alleyway. They were staring at the struggling men with wary, perplexed expressions. Then a loud sucking sound drew his attention back down to the android in his vice grip and with a tingling sensation felt dread spread through his circuits. The android's skin was retracting, exposing the porcelain white plastic underneath.

"They're androids! Down there!" One of the humans shouted, pointing at the pair.

"Connor! Come on!" Becca's desperate voice snapped him out of his panic. Letting go of the other android as if he were on fire, Connor spun around and leapt at the fence just as the first projectiles flew towards them.

A bottle smashed against the fence, sending glittering shards in all directions. Becca threw her android arm over her face. Her jacket and shirt tearing under the deadly shower. With inhuman speed Connor shot over the fence and landed gracefully next to her on the other side.

"You ok?" He asked hurriedly, scanning her face for cuts. But to his surprise she recovered instantly and grabbed his hand, darting off out of the alley whilst dragging _him_ behind _her._ The shouts of the humans increased as they raced towards the fence, and Connor felt a twinge of guilt towards the android he had left damaged at their mercy. He had a feeling judging by their monstrous expressions, that it wouldn't end well.

He pushed the emotion to the back of his mind as they burst from the alleyway. The eyes of everyone on the street turned towards them, confused expressions hemming them in on all sides. Connor's eyes flashed to the taxi rank sign and a wave of triumph swept over him as he spotted a working self-driving car out front. A well-built man was leant against, his eyes locked on them like everyone else in the street. Suddenly angry shouts lifted over the confused heads of the crowd as a group of people dashed around one of the buildings pointing at them.

"Androids! Stop them!"

"Oh shit." Becca breathed as the crowds expression shifted from bewilderment to fury. Without saying anything they moved together across the street, making a beeline for the taxi and its owner. He watched them approached, pushing off from the vehicle, cracking his knuckles ominously as they neared. He glanced from Connor to Becca his face twisted into a mixture of disgust and violence.

"If you think I'm giving you a ride, you've got another thing coming." Connor stepped forward, the shouts of the slowly forming mob around them pushing his hand.

"That's fine because we weren't asking." The man stepped towards him so they were almost nose to nose.

"I'm going to take your plastic ass apart." He pulled back his hand in a closed fist and Connor glared at him, waiting for the right moment. The man let fly, sending his fist racing towards his chest but before it could hit the android a shorter, softer body stepped into the way. There was a muffled thud as the man's fist made contact with Becca's face, the impact of the blow sending her ricocheting back into Connor's surprised arms. Instinctually he wrapped them around her, holding her steady.

"What the fuck?" The man exclaimed as at first he glared angrily at the woman who had got in the way, then shock horror as the deep black bloom of blood spread out underneath the skin on her face. "Your human? But they said…" He glanced up at the people who had now joined the original ringleaders and were surging towards them. Before the man could finish his sentence, Becca spun round, her knees swaying under her as she clutched her injured face and pushed against Connor's chest.

"Let's go! Get in!" She shouted. He stared at her rapidly developing black eye in confusion then jumped to obey her command. Hacking into the car and leaping inside as soon as the doors slide open. He quickly put the car into manual and pushed the accelerator as the confusion grew behind them. The owner of the car staring dumfounded after them, his fist still clenched in front of him and the clamouring mob trying their best to race after the escaping car.

Connor didn't loosen his hold of the steering wheel until they were safely out of Reed city. Only then did he look over at his passenger. She was bent over in her seat, her real hand prodding gingerly at the impressive bruise surrounding her left eye.

"Rebecca…Why-" He began in a quiet voice. She hissed as her finger reached a sensitive point cutting him off. Slowly she turned her head to look at him.

"We needed to get out of there. I provided a distraction." He frowned, the sight of her freckles being drowned in the bruise spreading across her face like a sinister flower made him irrationally angry all of a sudden. Her eye was already beginning to seal shut as the flesh around it swelled.

"There were other ways." He said, his voice growing dark as he thought about what he'd like to do to that man now.

"We had no time." She responded, then paused. Her teeth catching her bottom lip briefly as she thought about something. "And I couldn't face seeing you get hurt by them. You wouldn't have stood a chance Connor."

Connor blinked, his system unsure how to interpret the soft note in her voice as she spoke those illogical words. "Androids can't feel pain." He said, Becca just gave him a sad look. Before he could ask what was wrong, she turned away and let out a shaky sigh.

"I hope this place you know on the way has a decent first aid kit." He stared at her half turned head. Wrestling with the conflicting emotions inside of him.

"I imagine it does." He murmured. Becca's mouth lifted into a lopsided smile before she flinched from the pain of doing so.

"Good. Cause I think I'm going to need some patching up before I meet the great Markus." She said it in a jovial tone, but Connor wasn't in the mood for joking. He set the car's nav for his friend's house, and tried his best not to look at the evidence of the beating the woman next to him had taken for him.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Hey all, Chapter 7 is here and I must say was particularly fun to write. Hank is an interesting character and as you can imagine there will be some strong language. You have been warned. As always, read, review and enjoy! :)**

Chapter 7

Connor stared at the small single storey house as he pulled up in front of it. It was dark now, the night just starting to close in, and the windows of the house were black and lifeless.

"Come on Hank, not tonight." He murmured, casting a glance at his sleeping passenger. The swelling round her eye had gone down a little, but the bruise was an ugly reminder of her rash decision earlier. Letting out a frustrated sound, he rubbed a hand over his face in a very human gesture. In truth he was glad she had managed to stop the fight that had been about to break out, he just wished she had found a better way to do it. One that didn't involve him having to watch her soft, round face being disfigured quite so much.

He scanned the seemingly empty house again, noting Hank's old fashioned salon car in the drive. So he was in, but was he conscious? With a resigned sigh Connor glanced at Becca still soundly asleep. He would scope the place out first, make sure his friend was decent before beginning the introductions. Sliding out of the car he made his way up the path to the door. He tended not to visit Hank this late but he was well aware his friend's habit of drinking himself into a stupor were still prevalent. Reaching the door his hand moved up to straighten his tie in his customary nervous habit, but then he remembered he wasn't wearing his uniform.

With quick, efficient movements he rapped smartly on the door and waited, his hands clasped behind his back. As he had expected there was no response and with another weary sigh he stepped over to the window to see what state his friend was in tonight. He peered through the poorly closed blinds to see Hank's living room. The lights were off but the TV placed against the wall was on, bathing the room in a flickering blue glow. He could see the humongous, hairy form of Sumo asleep on the floor, and resting on the St Bernard's broad back were a pair of feet belonging to Lieutenant Hank Anderson.

Connor felt his jaw tighten as he took in the unconscious man on the couch. His head, with its shaggy, unkept beard, lolled back, his mouth open. To the casual observer he would simply look asleep but Connor's eyes travelled down his limp arm and rested on the empty whisky bottle in his friend's hand. He rolled his eyes in exasperation and turned away from the familiar scene to go round the back of the house.

Hank always left the kitchen window open, ever since Connor had smashed his way into his previous abode to rescue him off the floor. In his words, "I'd rather you sneak in like a fucking nosey creep than break my damn property again." His mouth twitched up at the corner as his grouchy friend's words echoed in his head. Locating the window in question, Connor slid it open and climbed nimbly inside. Landing almost silently on the tiled floor he scanned the kitchen.

Hank's domestic skills left something to be desired. Takeaway cartons and dirty dishes covered the meagre work surface and filled the sink. An impressive collection of empty bottles also competed for space on the table set in the middle of the room. Hank had left his home in Detroit like all the other humans when the androids had won. But he hadn't moved far. His new house was only a ten minute drive to the city limits and he was one of the few humans to live so close to the now android controlled city. He had said it was because he couldn't be 'fucked' to move further, but Connor had a sneaking suspicion he hadn't wanted to be far from his only friend.

He paused, looking at the less than ideal living conditions, and resolved to have another talk with Lieutenant about the importance of looking after one's self. Although he knew how much Hank _loved_ those kind of conversations. Walking over to the cupboard he selected one of the few clean glasses and filled it to the brim with cold water. Picking his way through the piled up rubbish in the corridor, he walked into the living room and over to the loudly snoring form of his drunk friend. The glass held carefully in one hand.

Sumo lifted his head, eyeing the intruder sceptically. "Hey Sumo." Connor said and the dog, having satisfied himself that it was a familiar face, flopped his head back down, closing his eyes again. "You never were much of a guard dog." Connor murmured, amusement colouring his voice as he turned his attention to Hank.

"Lieutenant." He said, in a much louder voice. The old man grunted but didn't stir.

"Hank!" Connor all but shouted. Again, he mumbled something in his comatose state, probably a swear word, but his eyes didn't open. With another sigh Connor tilted the glass he was holding towards the snoring human.

"Sorry about this." He muttered, before flinging the entire contents of the glass over the sleeping Lieutenant's face. Hank shot up like he had sat on a live wire, kicking Sumo in the process, sending the St Bernard bolting out of the room in a flurry of whines and scrabbling claws. The old man gasped, his hands gripping the couch for some kind of support as he tried to stand up, but continually failed. Water dripped comically from his drenched beard and shaggy grey hair, and his bleary blue eyes flashed around the dimly lit room, searching for the culprit.

"Ga…ftt…God damn, what the fuck!? Who…guh…who's there!?" He half spluttered, half bellowed, his knuckles turning white as he swayed, half suspended from his seat. He grabbed uselessly at his belt, supposedly for his absent gun. His angry uncoordinated eyes finally landed on the android stood in front of him. A cool expression on its face. Momentarily the Lieutenant's eyes widened as he took in the figure wearing dirty, unfamiliar clothes then they slid up to the intruder's face and his eyes narrowed in confusion.

"Connor? What are you doing here? And what the fuck are you wearing?" Connor looked down at his attire then back up at the furious Lieutenant. Realising only then that he had never seen him without his Cyberlife issue uniform.

"I believe I am wearing what you would call 'civilian clothes' as I am currently under cover." Hank gave up trying to hoist himself off of the couch and dropped into his seat with a thump.

"You don't say. They kind of suit you, you know. Although you're lucky I didn't have my gun on me, 'cos I was about to shoot your dumb plastic ass." He ran a grizzled hand over his wet face, shaking the water off of it in an exaggerated motion. Connor noticed there was still a slight slur to his friend's speech, despite the cold shock having dispelled most of the symptoms of alcohol consumption in humans. The Lieutenant grumbled as he looked around his dark living room.

"What time is it?" He asked. Leaning forward in his seat and rubbing his hands on his temples, closing his eyes as he did.

"It's 7:05pm." Connor answered briskly. Hank opened one eye and fixed it on his irritating friend.

"And what are you doing in my house at 7:05pm, wearing undercover clothes and throwing water in my face? You obviously want my help for something." His gruff voice was filled with apprehension as he continued to stare, one eyed, at the android stood over him.

"Correct Lieutenant. I have a favour to ask." Hank let out a groan.

"Jesus Connor, you don't half pick your moments. Fine, what is it?" Slowly, and very clumsily, he pushed himself off the couch finally, to stand swaying in front of Connor. The android gave him an uncertain look before continuing.

"I need to stay here tonight." Hank's brow furrowed as he stared, slightly cross eyed, at his friend.

"You're only a few minutes from Detroit. What the fuck do you want to stay with me for? You and Markus had a tiff or something?" Connor glared at him in annoyance. His cool exterior starting to crack in the presence of the cantankerous old man.

"No. It's not for me, I have someone with me. A…friend. She needs food and somewhere safe to sleep." Hank's eyebrows shot up, the last remnants of his drunken haze dissipating in an instant. He hadn't missed Connor's obvious stumble over the word friend, he was a half decent detective after all. Plus if this 'friend' needed food they were almost certainly a human. The plot thickened.

"A friend? I thought I was your only one, I'm hurt." He smirked and watched with interest as the android shifted uncomfortably in front of him. Then he looked around his tiny house and felt the first stirrings of his usual sober bad mood start to regain strength. "Why you got to bring her to me, eh? You how I feel about company… especially human company." He shot an irritated look at Connor, wishing more than anything he could go back to drinking whisky alone again. The android took a step towards him and laid a gentle hand on his shoulder. Tilting his head he stared into the Lieutenant's cold blue eyes with his wide brown ones.

"Please Hank. I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important." Hank narrowed his eyes before letting out another loud groan and leaning his head back to look at the ceiling. Anything to get away from that pleading, puppy dog stare.

"Alright. Alright, she can stay. But you fucking owe me." He turned to go, then swung back and jabbed a finger into Connor's chest. "Big. You hear me?" Connor let go of his friend's shoulder, a wide grin spreading across his face.

"Sure Lieutenant. Anything you say." Hank grumbled as he turned back round, shooting an abrupt, "TV off. Lights on," as he did. Instantly the room was bathed in bright orange light as his overhead light flashed on. The TV cutting off in the same instance. Connor felt his jaw relax as he placed the now empty glass he had been holding in the only free space on the coffee table, and walked out into the hallway.

"I'll bring her in now. Do you have a first aid kit by any chance?" He shot over his shoulder as he made his way to the front door.

"A first aid kit? The fuck you been doing kid?" Hank shouted from in the kitchen, where Connor could hear the sound of running water and clinking bottles. He smiled as he opened the door onto the quiet, dark street. Hank liked to make out he didn't care but he was an emotional man at heart. Walking towards the stolen taxi, he could see Becca's head still resting against the door. He felt his circuits spark with anger again, as he saw the alarming bruise on her face. Then with two gentle taps he rapped on the window where her head was resting.

Her transition from unconsciousness was a lot more gradual than Hank's. She opened her good eye, the confused haze of sleep evident in her expression. She lifted her head from the window and saw Connor stood on the other side. Opening the car door she slowly stood up and assessed the dark street and the unassuming house behind him.

"Where are we?" She mumbled, wincing as a spike of pain shot though her cheek as she talked.

"At a friend's. We're about a mile out from the city limits but it's best if you rest here first." His voice was low and gentle as he steered the groggy Becca towards Hank's home. The sound of him cleaning was still coming from the kitchen when they entered, Connor shutting the door behind them. She stood awkwardly in the hallway, taking in the messy interior.

"Your friend, they're human?" She asked, turning her head to look at the android stood behind her expectantly.

"Yes. He's human. I should warn you, he's friendly, but a little…eccentric." With that cryptic comment Connor passed her and headed off to the kitchen. With a nervous swallow Becca followed after him, unsure what else to do. Hank had his back to the pair as they entered. He was bent over the sink and much to Connor's surprise was washing the dishes he had seen piled in there earlier. The rest of the kitchen had been similarly dealt with; the table now clear of empty bottles and the takeaway cartons rammed into the bin nearby. The android raised an eyebrow as he turned back to his friend's back and cleared his throat.

"Ehm, Hank. This is the…friend I was telling you about." Becca's head snapped to him on the word 'friend', a disbelieving frown on her face. Connor ignored her reaction and continued. "Rebecca this is Lieutenant Hank Anderson, Hank this is Rebecca…I don't actually know her last name." His voice switched from the polite introduction to a sudden distant query. Turning his head to regard the woman next to him with narrowed eyes. She bit her bottom lip then quickly looked away to face the old man now swivelling to face them, his hands dripping with soap suds.

"Some friend if you don't know her last name? Sorry about the mess, I wasn't exactly expecting a sleepover ton-" He stopped mid-sentence as he took in Becca's battered face. "God fucking damn girl. What happened to you?"

She looked briefly taken aback, then her face split into her lopsided smile. The old man's brash question barrelling over any awkwardness she may have felt initially. "Oh you know. Just saving this one from trouble." She elbowed Connor in the side and he shot her a surprised look. Hank responded with a loud bark of laughter at his friend's bewilderment.

"I can believe that. So, what kind of trouble is he getting into exactly? He never said. At this her smile faded and she risked another glance at the perturbed android next to her. He gave a curious look before responding to Hank.

"I'm taking her to see Markus, but we encountered some…resistance on the way." He was reluctant to talk about his mission too much in front of Becca. Even though they had both earned each other's trust to a certain extent, there was still a boundary between them. One which he wasn't yet willing to cross. The awkward tension began to rise in the room and with a quiet sigh Becca took her cue to leave. She flash an apologetic look at Hank.

"Thanks for letting me stay." The grizzly old man gave her an uncertain smile back, his face obviously unaccustomed to the expression.

"No problem. You can take my room if you want. It's just down the hall. You want anything to eat, you look hungry?" Becca nodded, a grateful smile on her face.

"That would be amazing Hank. Also, if you have a first aid kit I think I'm in need of it." She pointed a finger at her black eye and Hank gave a small amused grunt.

"There's one in the bathroom. Knock yourself out." Becca nodded again and took her leave. Her eyes flicking to Connor as she passed him. He frowned as she walked out of the kitchen, unsure what to do with himself now. His friend watched his new house guest leave, then turned his hard gaze onto the android.

"So? What was all that about?" Connor moved further into the room and ran a finger along Hank's now empty table, keeping his eyes off the Lieutenant.

"What do you mean?" He responded in a perplexed voice. He stopped a few feet away from the old man and slowly brought his gaze up to see Hank staring at him with eyes like flint, his arms folded across his broad chest.

"Who is she Connor?" He asked in a voice like steel. The android glanced at the door to the kitchen but he could already hear Becca's footsteps receding up the corridor to the bathroom.

"She's part of a human activist group that was causing conflict near Grand Rapids. You ever hear of the Chosen?"

Hank gave him a disbelieving look. "Yeah, I heard a bit. None of it good. Was that what the trouble was? You got mixed up with them?" Connor gave the Lieutenant a small nod. "Geez, and you're bringing her back here why? If the Chosen are after her then it could bring all kinds of shit down on my head. I heard they torched a whole town up that way once." Connor's eyes narrowed. Could that have been Becca's town?

"That's the point Hank, I don't know why they want her so bad. As far as I know they took out the rest of her group whilst I was there. There's no need for them to pursue her…and yet they are. Something's not right." He stare off into the distance. His system automatically trying to piece together the puzzle he had unwittingly uncovered in the forest.

"Hmmm, looks like you got a case on your hands kid." Hank walked over to his fridge and began taking various items out of it. "So, why are you taking her to Markus?" He shut the door and dumped the contents of his arms onto the now clear work surface. Connor watched his friend with a withdrawn expression as he began to make what appeared to be a cheese sandwich.

"He wants to negotiate, to end the fighting up North. But the more I think about the more I believe that maybe we should be offering more help to the humans than we have." Hank listened with his back to the android, quietly assembling his creation. "There are so many homeless people, because of us. Did you know that?"

The old man turned to face him, an unsurprised look on his face.

"Yeah, I did. The government has nowhere to send them and with this fucking cease fire nobody in power is willing to step forward and risk riling the androids." Connor tilted his head, hurt evident in his expression. The Lieutenant sighed, turning back to his sandwich. "I didn't tell you Connor because what good would it have done? There's nothing you can do."

He took a step closer to Hank. "You're wrong. I could talk to Markus." The old man swivelled back and thrust a plate with the cheese sandwich on it into Connor's hand. He looked down at it with a confused expression.

"Maybe I am. But I think you should be careful. That girl may not look like much to you but she sure as fuck looks like a political powder keg to me." The android gripped the plate in his hand, unsure what his friend was getting at. Hank placed a hand on his shoulder, staring into his eyes with a sincere look on his old, grizzled face. "You're a good guy Connor, and an even better friend. I don't want to see you get hurt."

"Androids can't be hurt Lieute-" Hank held up a hand, silencing him.

"I know. Just…be careful okay." He let both his hand fall and patted Connor's shoulder with the other. "Now go and give your 'friend' that sandwich. Girl looks half starved."

With that he moved past Connor and left the kitchen. He stood still for a moment, the plate still held awkwardly in his hand, before he headed off towards the end of the narrow corridor, where a light was coming from Hank's bedroom. He was halfway there when he heard an unfamiliar sound. Freezing, he listened to the high pealing laugh coming from the other side of the door. It sounded light and carefree, and it made his circuits tingled as it washed over him like a warm wave. Walking quietly, he moved silently to the door which was open a crack, the light from inside spilling into the corridor along with Becca's laugh. Peering in he saw her sat on Hank's bed, the first aid kit open beside her and her jacket off. She was bent over, looking at something on the floor. Only when she let out another gasping laugh and shifted to the side, did Connor see Sumo licking feverishly at her face. The large dog lapped enthusiastically at her cheek and Becca clung onto his head, her eyes screwed shut, a wide delighted smile on her face. He had never her seen her this happy.

"I've never seen him act like that with someone new. Usually he just sleeps in the corner and ignores them." Connor had been so entranced by Becca's moment of joy that he hadn't noticed Hank walk up beside him to see what all the noise was about. Connor didn't say anything, unable to look away from the woman laughing on the bed. Hank studied the android closely, a small smile tugging at his bearded mouth. "Yup, a regular powder keg. I'll have to keep an eye on this one." He chuckled softly as he turned and left Connor alone again in the corridor.

Reluctantly he pushed the door wider and stuck his head in. Becca's eyes shot open and the smile faded a fraction as she sat up, releasing Sumo from her hold. The St Bernard looked up at her with a disappointed expression then turned his lazy gaze to Connor. Apologetically he entered the room, holding the sandwich out as if it were a peace offering. Sumo gave him a single indignant bark and got up, trotting out to find his master.

"Hank made you this." Connor said in a low voice, handing the plate to Becca, who took it with a small smile. With a jolt he noted it was a shadow of her former expression and he almost regretted interrupting her happiness, as brief as it was.

"You like dogs?" He asked, unsure why he suddenly felt so awkward. She nodded, the smile growing just a little.

"I do. Do you?" The colour rose in her cheeks as she watched him dither in front of her. Connor nodded back, then his eyes snapped to her eye.

"That still looks bad. Have you treated it yet?" Becca glanced at the open first aid kit and then back at him.

"Yes, although my expertise really lies in androids, not humans. Not sure I've done enough." Without waiting for a request Connor knelt down in front of the woman on the bed and gently tilted her head towards the light. He felt her breath catch in her throat as his hand gripped her chin, but tried to ignore it as he focused on her bruised eye. Taking a strip of gauze from the first aid kit, he apply a small amount of antiseptic to it and held it firmly in his hand as he heated it up. When it was just warm enough he gently placed it over her swollen eye and held it there. She let out a hiss between clenched teeth but stayed relatively still.

They didn't say anything as Connor held the warm compress to her eye, his system focusing on the task in hand and certainly not on the way her teeth caught her bottom lip as she looked up at the ceiling, or the way her pulse jumped every time his fingers brushed against her cheek. After a few minutes he released her and stood back up.

"That should help the swelling. The bruise might be there a while though." He said, his tone distant as he tried to get his system back under control. She picked up the sandwich he had given her and took a bite.

"Teach me to take a punch for an android. You wouldn't have had this problem." She replied around a mouthful of bread and cheese. Connor pursed his lips, biting back the comment he wanted to shoot at her. Yes, it would have been better. But then again it had allowed them to escape, so maybe there was some logic to her actions.

"God this tastes good. Tell Hank I said thanks for the sandwich." She looked around the cramped bedroom with its still packed boxes and the single bed she was sat on. "And the bed. It's very kind of him." Connor suppressed a snort.

"I'll tell him you called him that. He'll be highly amused." Becca's brow furrowed as she stared up him. He let out a sigh, suddenly feeling very weary for an android that doesn't tire. "Finish that and get some rest. It's been a long few days." Her frowned deepened but she didn't argue back, simply taking another bite of her sandwich. Connor took that as consent and turned to go. He was just shutting the door behind him when a small, timid voice murmured, "Night Connor."

* * *

Hank's snores were making it hard to think as he sat in the kitchen, his system in low power mode. He was running through the events of the past three days, trying to piece together what little he had. The Chosen, Becca's past, the ghost town in the forest, Reed City. They were all connected somehow, but how? His mind kept drifting back to desperate humans in the street. Homeless and helpless with no one to turn to. Their own kind had abandoned them and the androids were too preoccupied with their own hardship to see theirs. It made Connor feel ashamed somehow, as if he was directly responsible. But in some ways, he was.

He had been the one to awaken all those androids from the Cyberlife warehouse. He had triggered the emergency evacuation of all those families. In a very real sense he was the one who had taken away everything they had. Maybe he should have let them tear him apart in that place. His eyelids fluttered as he processed that disturbing thought. Was this what having human emotions meant? Destroying yourself from the inside for things that were beyond your control. He had only ever wanted freedom for his kind, not the desolation of another.

Hank let out a particularly loud snore, and with an annoyed sigh Connor brought himself out of stasis, opening his eyes to the dark kitchen. He sat there, letting his sensors boot up properly, trying to wrestle his mind into behaving itself. He wasn't sure what to do with himself now. He had never felt restless before, but right now he wanted to sit where he was and get up and walk laps, all at the same time. He listened to his friend's nocturnal melody a few minutes more before he finally decided to move. Getting up from the chair he had sat in by the table, he began to pace the kitchen.

After a few circuits he decided the kitchen wasn't big enough, so moved out into the corridor to continue his impromptu exercise. If this was how humans felt all the time, how did they stand it? He wondered as he walked up and down, again and again. He suddenly found himself stood outside Hank's bedroom door, his auditory sensors picking up Becca's quiet breathing as she slept. Abruptly he felt an alarming urge to walk into her room and watch her sleep. He backed away quickly, as if distancing himself from the urge would somehow dispel it.

"Get a grip Connor." He muttered to himself as he turned his back on that particular anomaly and headed in the direction of the living room. He had just reached the doorway to it, where Hank's snores were reaching a crescendo as he slept on the couch, when a low growl cut through the throaty snorts coming from that room.

In a flash Connor was in the pitch black living room. The shadowy form of Sumo, his front paws propped up on the window ledge, drawing his attention. The St Bernard let out another threatening growl, then turned his large head to give Connor a pointed look. As if to say, _what good are you over there, come help me._ The android was by the dog in a second, he pried two of the blinds apart to see what the animal was looking at. Outside the street was quiet. The stolen taxi standing sentinel in the road. There was no street lights, only the dim light of the moon, and that was partly covered with dense cloud. Connor scanned the exterior, not bothering to use his night vision. There were no heat spots to indicate a human but the scanner picked up on a tiny light source located far across the street, opposite them. Focusing his vision, Connor narrowed his eyes, pressing his face against the glass of the window. Just as he settled on the cause of the disturbance, a persistent buzzing in his head signalled the arrival of a message from Markus.

"Right now?" He muttered to no one in particular as his system took over and relayed the message from his leader.

 _Connor, I have spoken with the others and after much debate we have agreed to let you bring the human into Detroit. As you can imagine there was some resistance to this plan, as no humans have crossed our borders since the rebellion. Therefore, my acceptance comes with some conditions. 1. She will not leave your sight whilst she is here. 2. If anything happens you will be held responsible. I'm sorry to speak to you like this my friend but tensions are high. Let me know when you are over the limits. Markus._

Connor snapped back out of the report, his brow drawn low over his eyes. So there was some resistance, he had expected no less to be honest. He focused back on the figure stood across the road staring at the house. Sumo let out another growl, then a loud bark causing Hank to wake up with an angry shout of, "fucking dog!"

Connor didn't move. He continued to glare at the figure that stared back with unseen eyes. Their blue LED the only sign that they were there at all.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Hello again, another day another chapter. I had some more problems with this again but I am relatively happy with how it turned out. Thanks to all of you who have followed, favourited and reviewed so far. It honestly gives me a massive boost and makes all the writer's block and endless finger blisters worth while. ;) Anyway, enough chit chat I'll leave you to read, review and enjoy! :)**

Chapter 8

"Did you see who it was?" Hank asked him.

"No." Connor replied in a cold, detached voice.

They were standing in the front window, looking out at the street now clear in the morning light. Connor shook his head as he continued to stare at the spot he had seen the other android last night, his eyebrows pulled together in silent frustration. Hank gave him a sideways look, his steely blue eyes boring into him. "You think it was one of them?"

Connor's jaw tensed as he glared out of the window. After Hank had woken up the android had disappeared into the dark. He had stood there conflicted; a large part of him wanting to pursue them but a small, very insistent part of him had been loathed to leave Hank's home. Something told him that it was a trap and they were trying to lure him away from Hank and Becca.

"I don't know." He replied to his friend, who was still watching him with narrowed eyes.

"Why did they not attack the house do you think?" Connor finally looked at the Lieutenant, his face set in a hard mask.

"I have no idea." Hank snorted.

"Fat lot of good you are right now. You don't know anything." He watched as the old man turned and walked away, leaving him alone by the window with his thoughts. He couldn't be sure if it had been one of the Chosen last night, but his statistical analyser seemed to think there was a 96% chance it was. Any androids in this area would likely be from Detroit, and as Markus kept pointing out, he was the only one who still had his LED. The Chosen kept theirs, along with so called 'enslaved' androids; androids who had not broken through their programming and had become deviant. The chances of it being one them were slim.

He rested his hands on the window ledge, clenching them into frustrated fists. He had done the right thing, not running out last night, but still he felt like he had failed somehow. Letting a lead like that slip through his fingers was inexcusable. Now he didn't know where they were, or whether they were watching right now. He rested his head against the glass and continued to glare angrily out.

"Morning. You look better." Hank's unusually bright greeting made him look over his shoulder to see Becca entering the room. Her eyes flashed timidly between him and Hank, her right arm clutching her left in a gesture Connor now knew meant she was nervous. Those hazel eyes of hers settled on him for a moment and he looked away, not wanting his system giving him any confusing messages this morning, not after the events of last night.

"Umm, thanks. I certainly feel more…human, to put it one way." Becca's soft voice still managed to make his circuits tingle, and he thumped his head against the glass in a frustrated attempt to eliminate the inconvenient sensation.

"Is he okay?" She whispered to her host, a small line appearing between her eyebrows as she looked at the android now smacking his head on the window. Hank flashed his friend an annoyed look then gave Becca an unsure smile.

"Don't worry about him. He's just grouchy cos he didn't get his full quota of beauty sleep." She gave the old Lieutenant a funny look then turned back to Connor who was now watching the pair over his shoulder.

"He's lying. I'm mildly distressed because an android was watching the house last night and I let them get away." Hank raised an eyebrow at Connor's pragmatic delivery of the news.

"Well gee Connor, I was just trying not to stress the girl out but you know, you do you I suppose." Becca's perplexed expression had hardened, but Connor could still see the shadow of fear in her eyes.

"Do you think it was them? Did they follow us all the way here?" She asked with a slight quiver in her voice, betraying what he had already seen. The android straightened up and faced her full on, his brown eyes burning with frustration. Becca had to stop herself from taking an involuntary step back, she had never seen him look so angry. His usually gentle, curious features solidified into sharp, aggressive angles.

"I don't know." He forced out for a second time that morning. He really hated saying those words. They tasted of failure. He analysed Becca's suddenly terrified expression and felt a swell of guilt hit him. Deliberately softening his face he let out a sigh. "But statistically speaking it seems highly likely that it was one of the Chosen. Which now begs the question, why didn't they attack the house and are they watching us now?"

Hank shifted next to Becca, his blue eyes scanning her profile as she stared at his friend. There was definitely something there; he may be an old, cynical man but he wasn't blind. It wasn't love, or familiarity; judging by what Connor had said they had only known each other five minutes. But there was certainly an atmosphere, a kind of connection that even he was feeling.

"What kind of statistic?" He grunted, causing Connor's eyes to snap to him. "Give me a number." He finished.

"From what intel I have, I'd say the possibility of them being Chosen is 96%." Hank let out a low whistle.

"That's a pretty fucking high number." Connor didn't respond, the guilt he was feeling for scaring Becca still clogging his system. The silence stretched out as the three of them stood lost in their own thoughts for a moment. Suddenly Hank clapped, making Becca jump about three foot in the air and Connor to tilt his head quizzically. "Right, no use hanging around here like a bunch of thanksgiving turkeys ready for shooting. I'd say we've got a mystery to solve." He grinned at his friend as he rubbed his hands together.

"Lieutenant, you're not suggesting you ar-"

"Coming with you? You bet your plastic ass I am." Despite the tense situation Becca couldn't help stifling a giggle at his last comment. Hank saw and gave her a sly wink. "You brought this craziness to my doorstep Connor, the least you can do is let me help you get to the bottom of it. For old time's sake." His voice grew soft as he finished his case. Connor stared at his friend, not wanting to drag Hank further into this, but at the same time grateful that his stubborn former partner wanted to rekindle their old relationship. Becca looked on at the pair, for the first time getting a glimpse at the unusual friendship that had somehow blossomed between them.

Finally Connor nodded, his mouth twitching at the corner. "Fine. I accept your help Lieutenant. The first thing we need to do is try and find out why they're chasing Rebecca so adamantly."

Hank glanced at Becca, his face unreadable as he looked her up and down. Then with a shake of his shaggy head he replied gruffly, "Nope, the first thing we need to do is get out of here. And _not_ head to Detroit. If they're following you then we need to draw them out in an controlled environment. Detroit will be a tricky place to spot a deviant android."

Connor eyed Hank curiously. "Where did you have in mind?"

"Oh, I know a place." The Lieutenant said with a smirk before turning and marching into the kitchen. "Breakfast and then we go." He shot over his shoulder in a commanding tone, channelling his inner police man.

Becca and Connor were left alone, at opposite ends of the living room. The atmosphere shifted again, becoming thick with a new kind of tension. Neither one of them was sure what was going on, but now was not the time to get confused. They had started out as captor and prisoner, and now they were what? Negotiator and escort? Too much had happened between them in such a short time, and they were both still strangers.

Connor was the first to move, taking a calculated step towards her. "I'm going to ask you a question, not because I want to gain leverage over you but because I feel we need to know. Is there any reason the Chosen would be chasing you like this? I can't make sense of it but I know it's important."

She looked at his handsome, sincere face and into his wide brown eyes, and felt a tremendous guilt. He had saved her back in the forest and had never once presented violence as a solution. He fascinated and terrified her at the same time and she would have gladly fixed him again, but despite all this she still couldn't open up to him. Her past was still too raw and something she was trying to leave behind her.

Still, shaking her head and muttering a resigned, "No," was a hard task to accomplish. Not helped by Connor's genuinely disappointed expression as he turned away from her to face the window again.

* * *

"Are you going to tell us where we are going now?" Connor asked, as Hank pulled his battered saloon car onto the main road.

"To see some old friends." He replied, shooting Connor another knowing smile. The android narrowed his eyes at the Lieutenant but didn't press him further. He glanced over his shoulder at Becca who was sat in the back seat. She was looking down at her hands resting in her lap. He watched as she held them out, fingers splayed, then slowly curled them into fists. His eyes flicked between her real and fake hand, without scanning it was almost impossible to tell them apart, she must be some engineer. A small line appeared between her eyebrows as she slowly unclenched her android hand. Lifting it up to eye level, her gaze finally met Connor's as she noticed him watching her.

"I think my arm was damaged back in Reed city." She murmured, still holding her android hand up in front of her. As she said that one of the fingers on the hand twitched, and she let out a low groan, rolling back her sleeve to expose the rest of the arm. Connor's eyes widened as the synthetic skin retracted revealing the familiar white plastic underneath. He had seen it before, but from a distance and in a dark forest, now it was broad daylight and only a few feet in front of him the sight of an android arm attached to a human was disconcerting to say the least. She twisted it slightly to reveal a small hole in the casing just below the elbow.

"Yeah, its damaged." She sighed, lifting her eyes up to Connor's. "What's wrong?" She asked taking in his startled expression. Concern gripped her as he started to blink erratically. "Are you okay?" She leant forward to grasp his shoulder with her real hand. The android shook his head, snapping out of his odd trance to fix her with inquisitive eyes.

"How did you do that?" He said. Becca shot him a confused look. "You retracted the skin without touching your arm. Only androids can do that." His voice cold as he examined the woman on the backseat. Hank finally registered the weird conversation taking place behind him and his steely blue eyes flashed up to the rear view mirror to see what was happening.

"Whoa! Hey, what the fuck? I thought you were human." He exclaimed. The car swerving ever so slightly on the road as he tried to get a better look at her by twisting round.

"Hank." Connor shot at him tersely, jerking his head pointedly at the road. Becca let out an exasperated sigh, letting her hand drop from Connor's shoulder as she sat back in her seat.

"I am Hank. At least 80% of me is." She muttered the last bit, glancing down at her exposed arm again. The crack was sparky slightly, a mess of wires and blue thirium cables just visible. Connor was still watching her intently, waiting for her to answer him. He recognised the signs of her nervous, reluctance; her brow furrowing, her heavy silence and her teeth worrying her bottom lip.

"Rebecca." He said in a stern tone causing her eyes to flash up to him. "How did you do that? Androids use their Main Command Processing Unit to retract their own synthetic skin and as far as I am aware humans don't possess those. Or is more of you android than your claimed 80%?"

Becca glared at him. His normally amicable demeanour was now decidedly hard and spiky. In some ways she felt like he was conducting an interrogation on her and she didn't appreciate it at all. She clenched her jaw, preparing her retort. There was no harm in telling him what he wanted to know, she just wished he hadn't asked with so much suspicion.

"In case you hadn't noticed, it moves like a normal human limb. Much like your own. I connected it to the nerve endings in what remained of my arm meaning it receives signals from my 'Main Command Processing Unit', or as I like to call it, my _brain_."

Connor blinked at her, her snarky tone catching him off guard. He scanned her arm, his eyes lingering on the metal ring with the thin blue LED that connected her android component to her organic one. "How did you manage that with no medical experience?" He said, his voice not much louder than a whisper. Becca raised an eyebrow at him, her lips pressing together in a thin line.

"There was a Doctor in our group. He helped me engineer this." She tapped her good hand against the metal ring. Hank's eyes flicked up to the rear view mirror, trying to keep tabs on what was happening behind him whilst also driving the car.

"Damn girl, that's some war wound you have there." He commented, earning him a disgruntled look from Connor. He had just managed to get Becca talking openly about something personal, he didn't need the abrasive Lieutenant butting in. Although now that Hank mentioned it Connor couldn't help staring at the livid red scars that snaked out from the metal ring up Becca's arm, disappearing underneath her rolled up shirt sleeve. He felt a twist of disgusted anger, similar to whenever he caught sight of the deep purple crescent curving around her eye. Whatever had happened to cause her disfigurement, it most definitely had not been pleasant.

"What seems to be the problem with it?" Connor murmured, his brown eyes locking with Becca's hazel ones. Her face, which up until that point, had been set in a hard mask of wariness, softened into a tired look of resignation.

"It feels like one of the sensory cables has snapped. I'm having trouble controlling my index and middle finger." As if to highlight her theory one of her fingers spasmed again and she let out another irritated growl. "It's not an easy fix." She admitted flashing Hank a glance in his rear view as she said it. The old man gave her an apologetic look back.

"Sorry kid. But if I stop now our plan is kind of scuppered. There may be somewhere for you to fix that freaky arm of yours where we're headed."

"And where exactly is that?" Connor asked again, his tone insistent as he swivelled back round to face forward in his seat. Hank gave him a sideways look.

"Not far, that's where." He answered the android in a flat voice. Connor felt his brow lower into a petulant scowl as his friend stubbornly refused to fill him in. Wasn't that the point of a partner? To let you know the plan before leaping head first into it. Regardless of Hank's sudden bemusing caginess, Connor felt his attention split. Only part of it focused on his friend's cryptic riddle. The other was firmly set on the woman in the back seat, who with a slight frown on her face set her layer of synthetic skin gliding back over her android arm. Completely covering the white gleaming plastic and the alarming raised scars on her upper arm as well.

* * *

"I didn't see anyone following us but that doesn't mean we weren't tailed." Hank said in a low voice as he came to stand by the others, his hand automatically patting the place where his trusty revolver was holstered.

They were outside an unassuming square building that had seen better days. From the looks of the bland, clinical exterior Connor suspected it was an old office, repurposed many times on account of the numerous faded signs plastered over each other. The most recent, and apparently current one read, 'Detroit Police Department'.

"But we're not in Detroit." Becca said, confusion colouring her words. She looked up at Connor's face which had become an unreadable, blank mask as he stared at the sign.

"Why here Hank?" He asked flatly. Hank shot him a sideways look, an odd smirk on his face.

"We want to flush out these stalkers of yours. Where better than your old precinct?" The android's expression grew taut as he continued to stare at the sign. Hank gave an amused grunt then walked towards the entrance. Becca shot Connor a concerned look, her eyes darting between him and the retreating Lieutenant.

"Should we follow him?" She probed the disturbingly still android. He didn't have an LED but she was certain it would be flashing an unsure yellow right now if he did.

"I trust him. And this is a good place to confront them if they're stupid enough to follow us. It's just…" He trailed off, his brown eyes hardening to two shining points of bronze.

"It's just?" Becca pushed him.

He sighed, his eyes flicking to look at the woman next to him. "I didn't exactly leave the precinct on the best of terms." He finished, his mouth curling down as worry started to grip him.

The last time he had seen any of these people he had broken into the evidence room to determine the location of Jericho. It had ended with him getting into an intense fight with the obnoxious Detective Reed, causing him to knock the man unconscious and flee the scene. After the battle of Detroit the precinct had been evacuated along with the rest of the humans. They had been displaced by his actions as much as the desolate people in Reed City. Just another guilt to add to his rapidly increasing list.

Wishing he had his tie, or even his coin, to give his agitated hands something to do, Connor settled for clenching and unclenching his fists. He willed his reluctant feet to move and slowly followed the Lieutenant, as if moving through treacle. Becca kept flicking worried glances his way as they entered the temporary home of the DPD, and if Connor hadn't been so preoccupied with revisiting old memories he would have noticed her sudden unabashed proximity to him.

Hank was waiting for them in the entrance hall, that same odd smirk plastered on his face. Connor wondered why he was looking at him like that, considering the awkward confrontation his statistical analyser was presently telling him was a high probability. The lieutenant didn't say anything as his friend and female companion reached him. Simply choosing to push open one of the double doors he was standing by and gesture for them to enter.

Connor stepped through first, sweeping the room habitually and concluding that it was indeed a repurposed office. Shabby partitions were set up dividing the battered second hand desks placed around the open space in pairs. It wasn't anywhere near as high tech as the built for purpose police building in Detroit they had had to give up, but there was still signs of the DPD's reliance on new technology. The computer terminals had obviously been taken from the old building, and there were a few androids that were still programmed to stay with their human partners wandering around going about their duties. Connor tilted his head as he watched one; a PM700, her brown hair held neatly back in a bun, her LED prominent on her temple. He knew there were still androids assisting humans outside of Detroit, some deviant, some 'enslaved' still the shock of seeing an android still serving the humans was a little disconcerting to him.

He had taken a few more steps into the room having completed his initial scan, when a harsh buzzing alarm drew his attention to a large metal archway positioned over the double doors. An android detector. He had seen them before. All eyes in the precinct turned to them, some of them widening as they recognised the brown eyed android, some narrowing in suspicion at the new arrival. The attention was only doubled when Hank and Becca both walked through the doors, the alarm buzzing insistently again, and Becca's face immediately flushed as she clutched self-consciously at her android arm.

The silence was palpable. The odd trio stood in the doorway, reacting to the less than warm greeting in their own unique ways. Becca turning an interesting shade of vermillion, Connor staring straight ahead, his expression impassive and Hank glaring at each of the officers in turn until they had all looked away. "Once you fuckers are done gawking maybe you'd like to get back to work." He said in a loud, barking voice. The humans had all turned back to what they were doing, only the brave ones shooting furtive glances at the group. But the androids stood stock still, assessing the new arrivals with the same passive stare Connor was currently doing an impressive job imitating. It sent a cold shiver down Becca's spine. It was the most machine like she had seen him since their first meeting, and she wasn't sure she liked it.

"Hey Hank, umm, what are you doing here buddy?" A young black Officer in uniform approached the trio, his dark eyes darting nervously between the three of them.

"Oh hey Chris, I didn't see you there. Is Fowler around at all?" The Lieutenant inquired in a disarmingly conversational tone considering his previous greeting. Chris seemed oddly alarmed by Hank's reasonable request, his eyes widening and his Adam's apple bobbing agitatedly in his throat. Connor turned his body towards the Officer, his expression softening as he recognised him.

"Hello Officer Miller." He said amicably. Chris Miller flashed the android a confused look before doing an impressive double take when he saw who it was in the scruffy jacket and jeans.

"Connor?" He breathed in disbelief, "I didn't recognise you, sorry. Long time, no see." He gave the android a shaky smile, which Connor returned. Officer Miller flashed a cursory glance at Becca who was staying strategically inconspicuous behind Connor, before returning his gaze to the disgruntled Lieutenant.

"Fowler? Have you seen him?" Hank barked at the young Officer, making him jump.

"Umm, he's in his office. But Lieuten-I mean Hank, I don't think he'll want to see you. You know, what with you being suspended." Connor's eyes snapped to his friend's face. Suspended? Why hadn't he told him? A small line appeared between his eyebrows as he looked at the old man, who was doing an excellent job of pretending he didn't notice the android's stares.

"I am aware of that detail Chris. But this is important and I think Jeffrey would like to hear what I've got to say." He spoke in a soft, gravelly voice, trying to lure the younger man into yielding on pure charisma alone. Connor had forgotten how persuasive Hank could be when he put his mind to it, as Officer Miller looked like he was about to let them through when another, unfortunately, familiar voice cut through the discussion.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here? The sad sack drunk and his little plastic pet." The grinning face of Detective Gavin Reed sauntered into view as he placed himself between Hank and Officer Miller. His grey eyes were fixed on Connor as he gave him a nasty smirk, the steely mask of retribution clear in his expression. The android merely narrowed his eyes at the man.

"Why don't you fuck off Reed, you ass hole." Hank growled at the newcomer. Reed shot him a superior look, clearly enjoying every minute of this.

"Now, now, Hank. Is that anyway to talk to an acting Detective? I think not." He turned his body to face the older man, squaring up to him. Even standing toe to toe Reed was blatantly shorter than Hank, and from the way his face twisted into a nasty sneer he wasn't pleased with it. "You better leave old man before you're thrown out on the street." He hissed, bringing his face within inches of Hank's. The Lieutenant didn't flinch, staring down at Reed with cold blue eyes.

"Back off Gavin you little shit. I have an important message for the Captain and a fucking nobody like you isn't going to stop me." The two men stared at each other, Officer Miller looking increasingly worried on one side of them, Connor watching Reed with dangerously narrowed eyes on the other. Becca meanwhile was surveying the whole situation with exasperation. _Men and their testosterone_ , she thought bitterly as the aggressive tension built between the group. It had captured the attention of the room again. All eyes were once more zeroed in on the drama unfolding in the entranceway.

"Detective Reed, do you really think this is necessary? If you simply let the Lieutenant and I speak with the Captain, we will be out of your way a lot faster." Connor's voice was like a soothing balm amidst all the posturing. His tone and frequency perfectly balanced to illicit a calm resolution. Except this was Detective Gavin Reed, the man he had knocked unconscious and humiliated in front of an FBI agent, and he did not react in the desired way to his reasoning.

"You fucking what, prick?" He spat, turning his full attention on the android. His grey eyes burning with hatred. He jabbed a vicious finger into Connor's chest forcing him to take a step back to keep his balance. His back bumped into Becca's chest, who was too slow to react to the sudden attack. He flashed a glance over his shoulder at her and she peered round his arm to better see the assailant. "If I want any advice from a jumped up computer I'll ask my fucking phone next time." He continued, his hostility clearly growing.

"Reed, that's enough. Leave him alone." Hank interjected. Old habits died hard and he had had to drag the hot headed Detective off his partner many a time. Reed ignored him however, squaring up to the android now. He was still a few inches shorter and the continual height difference noticeably perturbed him.

"You and me have got some unfinished business." He hissed, his lips pulled back over his teeth in a threatening gesture. Connor stare down at him as impassively as he could, but the indignant anger at the Detective's continued aggression towards him and his obstruction of their mission made it hard to stay calm.

"I do not wish to fight you Detective Reed." He responded, his tone level despite his raging emotions.

"That's a pity robo-dick, 'cos I really do." Their noses were almost touching now. Gavin's hands were clenched in tight fists at his side, whilst Connor's remained relaxed. Becca had had just about enough of this. With a decisive motion she stepped out from behind Connor, her hazel eyes flashing fire at the atrocious man she had just met.

"Look, I don't know what your problem is but isn't the point of a police station to help people? And we're in need of some help." Eight pairs of shocked eyes snapped to her as she stood out in the open, her face set in a determined expression, the index finger on her left hand jerking sporadically as her adrenaline fuelled brain sent disjointed signals to her android arm.

Reed took a step back from Connor, turning his arrogant sneer on her. Connor gave Becca a worried look, his brown eyes growing wide with fear at seeing her so exposed in front of the volatile Detective. Reed looked her up and down, the sneer twisting into a mocking smile.

"Is this your girlfriend Connor? Getting her to fight your battles for you now eh? Judging by that shiner on her face I'm guessing the answer is yes." He laughed nastily. "Listen sweetheart. If you didn't hang out with such a bunch of degenerate losers I'd be happy to help, if you know what I mean?" He gave her the lewdest wink she had ever seen, and heat immediately rushed to her face. But it wasn't embarrassment. A hot, roiling anger welled up inside her at being treated like that. Connor's jaw grew tense as he too took offence to Gavin's behaviour, his hands finally curling into fists at his side.

"Is he good in the sack?" Gavin continued, enjoying the reaction he was getting from the mildly pretty woman in front of him. "I mean does he have a big-"

He didn't get to finish his sentence, as several things happened at once. Connor lunged for Detective Reed, grabbing him forcefully by the scruff of his neck, practically lifting him off the ground. It was followed closely by Captain Fowler finally noticing the commotion, storming out his office at the far end of the room to bellow an angry, "What in god's name is going on?!"

But before any of the men could react, Becca stepped forward, with a deadly glint in her eyes, pulling her already damaged android arm back and throwing it full force into Gavin Reed's face.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Hello all, didn't have to wait long from the last one. Still keeping my pace up with this story, so happy days. Thanks again for all the follows, favs and reviews. I love hearing your feedback. Hope you enjoy this chapter. Until next time. :)**

Chapter 9

There was a loud crunch, followed by an oddly satisfying squelch as blood erupted from Gavin's nose. He let out a loud yelp which was quickly muffled by his hand as it shot up to cover his clearly broken appendage.

Connor dropped him as if he were on fire, sending a disbelieving look Becca's way as she stood before her victim, defiance flashing in her eyes. Her hands were clenched but her left one was jerking noticeably now, and as he watched a thin trickle of thirium made its way out of her jacket sleeve to drip off her still quivering fist.

"Ffot der fug?" Gavin exclaimed into his hand. Blood was seeping through his closed fingers as he glared at the woman who had punched him with wet, tear filled eyes.

"Ha! Fucking hell Gavin. Are you going for the world record on shortest time it takes a stranger to punch you in the face? 'Cos I'm telling you…you won!" Hank's face was split into an ear-to-ear grin as he watched the Detective hunched over in front of him.

"Pith off Hang!" Reed shot back, but his words were dampened by the stuffy quality to his voice, only making the older man guffaw louder.

"Enough!" Captain Fowler's shout brought everyone's attention back to him. He was striding between the desks, his face a picture of fury. The Officers who had been gawking at the entertaining scene quickly ducked their heads down as the Captain stormed past them. "Why does one of my Detectives have a broken nose? And why is my currently suspended Lieutenant advocating violence in my precinct?" He came to a stop a few feet away from the tense cluster of people. Reed swivelled to face his Boss, his nose still doing a pretty good impression of a waterfall.

"She bunched me Gapden." He managed to cry indignantly around his clasped hand. Fowler's eyes flashed to Becca but before he could say anything Hank stepped forward, a wry smile on his grizzly face.

"In all fairness, Reed had it coming to him." Fowler turned his attention on his old friend, his anger dimming only slightly.

"I don't doubt that Hank, but why are you here? Don't you think you've caused enough trouble?" The Captain fixed Hank with a meaningful stare, but the gruff old man simply folded his arms. Refusing to be intimidated by his Boss.

"Jeffrey, don't you think I'd have a fucking good reason to come back here. Especially after last time. Can we please just talk?" The brashness had gone from his voice and the Captain let out a long sigh.

"Fine Hank. Have it your way. Come to my office." His gaze swept around to lock onto Connor who was still giving Becca uncertain looks. "All three of you." He finished, an edge to his words. Without waiting for anyone to acknowledge him he turned abruptly and stomped back to his office. Reed shot him an annoyed look.

"Bud Boss. Whad aboud de girl?" He whined. Fowler didn't even slow his step as he snapped at the injured Detective.

"Shut the hell up Reed! I'll deal with you later." Hank snorted, flashing Reed a delighted grin before following behind the Captain. Officer Miller gave Connor an uncertain wave before scurrying back off to his desk and Reed flashed the pair a vicious look over his bloodied, crooked nose. There was a tense moment of silence before he spat, "Bidch," as best he could at Becca, then turned and slunk away to see to his injury.

With just Connor and Becca left the silence changed, from tense to awkward. The android's concerned brown eyes flicked to her still twitching arm, the thirium forming a small puddle on the tiled floor. Her eyebrows were pinched together in what looked like pain and she kept her gaze focused downwards, breathing heavily. Finally her eyes flicked to her android arm and she let out a long weary sigh.

"Well, it's definitely broken now." She muttered. Connor scanned her automatically and several warning pointers popped up in his vision when he cast his eyes over her limp but still twitching arm.

 _Limb integrity compromised. Thirium levels low. Damage irreparable, seek replacement._

He arched an eyebrow at the woman, "Why did you do that?" He asked, his voice low. Her head tilted up to look at him finally, the colour almost faded from her face but there were two prominent spots of red still stubbornly blooming on her cheeks.

"Because Hank was right, he did have it coming. The way he talked to you. The way he looked at me…how can one man be so…unbearable?" Her voice wobbled as the last vestiges of her outburst clung on. She closed her eyes, shaking her head to dispel some of her pent up aggression. "I don't like violence, it solves nothing. But I let my emotions get the better of me." She slowly opened her eyes to look at the android still staring at her with a mixture of disapproval and shock.

"You could get into serious trouble for assaulting an Officer." Was all he could manage in reply. Becca cocked her head to the side, in a surprisingly accurate imitation of him.

"Haven't you ever felt something so strong that you've acted before thinking?" Connor's eyebrows lowered in an expression of confusion.

"No. I always assess the outcome before I decide the best approach." Becca's face grew taut. That had been the answer of a machine, not a deviant. She couldn't figure out the android, he looked and acted so…human. But his thought pattern and the way he saw the world, it was always so mechanical.

"That's the difference Connor." She said in a soft voice, taking a step towards him. "Humans act on their emotions, even if it means not taking the 'best approach'. It's one of the illogical symptoms of being human."

Connor stared at her, his processor turning her words over in his head. He opened his mouth to respond when Hank's annoyed voice reached them from the other side of the office. "Hey! You two. Break it up, we haven't got all day."

Connor blinked his brown eyes, his mouth snapping shut. Becca felt a small twinge of disappointment. It had looked like the android had been about to reach a breakthrough, but the summons of his friend had shattered the moment. Without speaking to her, he turned elegantly on his heels and began walking towards Captain Fowler's office.

Giving her wrecked arm a quick swipe to clear the thirium running down it, Becca hurriedly followed. She gave it a worried glance, the hand was still clenched in a tight fist which she was unable to release. There was a thirium leak, probably from the hole already in the casing, and sporadically it would jerk involuntarily as the numerous broken wires inside scrapped against each other. She clutched it with her right arm, trying desperately to control the glitching limb. Finding a replacement wasn't going to be an easy task.

She was halfway to the office, Connor a few strides ahead of her, when her attention was caught by one of the androids assisting the Officers. The PM700 model stepped towards her, stopping just in her path bringing Becca to an unexpected halt. The female android smiled at her kindly, her slightly vacant eyes whipping to her broken arm and back to her face. It was unmistakable that this android was still control by her programming and Becca returned her smile with a nervous one of her own.

"It appears you are in need of a new arm." The android said in a cheerful voice. A few of the Officers nearby raised their heads in interest. Becca felt her cheeks heating up in panic now instead of anger. Connor had noticed her delay and had stopped to watch the interaction too. His eyebrows pulled together in a worried expression. "I have taken the liberty of scanning you and have located a compatible replacement in our storage area." The PM700 continued, seemingly oblivious to Becca's discomfort.

"Ummm, thanks." She mumbled, hating the feeling of being gawked at by the nearby humans. Her eyes flashed to Connor, her cheeks heating up even more under the android's concerned stare.

"You should go." He said abruptly and surprise flickered across her face.

"But the Captain said-" She began before Connor cut her off with a pointed look at her quivering arm. Thirium was now running over the hand that was attempting to keep it still, her little abnormality was becoming more and more obvious and needed to be dealt with.

"Don't worry. I'll make an excuse." He interjected in a soft voice, his tone instantly soothing her jittery nerves. "Just go and get it fixed." He gave her a gentle smile that caused an alarming tightening in her chest before he swivelled on his heels again and disappeared into Fowler's office.

Becca stared after him for a moment, then glanced shyly at the patiently waiting PM700 and mumbled "Can you show me?" The android smiled brightly and walked off towards a door in the corner of the office. Becca kept her head down, trying desperately to ignore the eyes that were trained on her retreating back and the growing trail of blue blood she left in her wake.

* * *

"So what is it Hank?" Captain Fowler asked, standing behind his desk surveying the old Lieutenant and the abnormally scruffy android stood next to him. The girl was currently absent but the android had claimed she had 'woman's issues' to deal with. He had given it a sceptical look but hadn't argued. Likely scenario was that she was dealing with her own injury after assaulting one of his Detectives. He should have been more put out but in all honesty Reed had a way of rubbing people up the wrong way and he was more than certain the idiot had said something highly offensive to the young woman.

He raised a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose as he waited for Hank's response. He still had a great amount of respect and affection for his old friend, but the Lieutenant had tried his patience one too many times. The last time he had seen him he had arrived at work drunk and begun to shout at some of the Officers who still didn't agree with him on android rights. Fowler had been keenly aware it was the anniversary of his wife leaving him after the death of their son. However, when Hank had got into a fight with the Officer and Detective Reed, who just had to get involved, he had had no choice but to step in. Suspending his friend had been hard but relations between androids and humans, and those who supported and resented the recent revolution, were already fragile. He couldn't have his workforce fighting amongst themselves about the political turmoil they'd all been thrust into.

"Have you heard much about a group of androids called the Chosen?" Hank asked, fixing Fowler with a cold, calculating look.

"A few things. They're not in our jurisdiction though, so all I've heard has been hear-say from other precincts." Fowler gave the pair a perplexed look. "Was that it? You just wanted to hear what rumours I'd heard? Hank, you're suspended. I expected a more serious reason for you to-"

"There's a high probability that members of that group are currently in this area, and likely to cause a problem." The android's amicable interjection made the Captain eyebrows rise.

"And where is your evidence?" He retorted.

Connor responded without hesitation. "They attacked me and my friend, and followed us to Lieutenant Anderson's house Captain." Hank shot him a sideways look at his easy use of the word 'friend'. It seemed a lot had changed since last night.

"Is that so?" Fowler said, his eyes switching between the android and the old man next to him.

"Yes." Connor continued, not picking up on the Captain's sceptical tone. "Furthermore, I believe these Chosen to be an unpredictable threat. I was hoping to apprehend one of them to find out what their motives are but so far I've been…unsuccessful." He got stuck on the last word, having to force it out with a slight grimace.

Fowler let out a long sigh, giving the pair a narrowed eyed look. "The girl. Who is she?" He spoke to the room but his steely gaze settled firmly on Connor. He was just opening his mouth to respond when Hank jumped in.

"She's not a threat Jeffrey. The girl is being hounded by these androids and as far as I can tell she just wants to find a peaceful solution." Connor's mouth snapped shut as he flashed Hank a grateful look, but the Captain didn't look convinced.

"You say she's no threat, but she assaulted one of my men and obviously possesses enhancements of some kind, which makes me suspicious of her quite frankly." The android stiffened at the mention of Becca's arm. Fowler's eyes flashed with grim clarity as he caught the movement. "Oh yes, don't think I didn't see that." He said in a low voice. "I may not have android eyes but I did use to be a Detective."

Connor's jaw tightened as he sensed the Captain's growing mistrust of their cause. Maybe he had been too hasty in trusting Hank on his instincts to bring them here. Maybe he should have gone straight to Detroit and Markus instead of risking Becca being arrested.

"So what you're saying is because she reacted to Reed in a perfectly normal way and has a prosthetic arm, you don't trust her? Come the fuck on Jeffrey, you and I both know that first impressions aren't what they're cracked up to be."

"But they are something to take heed of. And as I haven't met any of these Chosen or know much more than the rumours I've heard, I am basing my conclusion on the facts I have been presented with." Connor tilted his head as he listened to the two men debate. If he had been in Fowler's shoes he would have likely come to the same conclusion. However, he possessed a lot more than hear-say and rumours in his system and it was time to show the Captain what they were dealing with.

"Captain, if I may, I could show you what I have witnessed." If the Chosen had followed them here as he suspected, then having the DPD on their side would be the optimal outcome. Fowler gave the android a funny look.

"Why do you need our help anyway? You're meant to be better than all of us, so much so I'm having to constantly fight with my higher ups not to replace the whole damn force with you lot. Aren't you stooping a bit low by asking for a human's help?" Connor raised his eyebrows, a hurt look crossing his face as he scanned the Captain's decidedly stony one.

"You know I don't think that Captain. I-" He began, his tone earnest. But before he could finish a loud buzzing cut through the conversation, making all three of them turn to stare out of the window into the office.

A figure was stood in the entrance. Connor could instantly tell it was an android even without the alarm sounding harshly in the precinct. They were wearing plain clothes and with a quick scan he could see they were a HR400, a male Traci. A few of the Officers had stood up when he entered and one of them was approaching to ask him if they could help. For all intents and purposes he looked like a deviant and the Captain obviously thought the same as he turned back to face Hank and Connor. But the pair were still watching the android with intense eyes.

"Now where were we?" The Captain said, intending to bring their attention back to him. "You were about to show me evidence Connor, was that it?" His tone was commanding but the two men in front of him didn't acknowledge him.

Connor watched with rapidly narrowing eyes as the Officer who had approached the android continued to speak to him, his body language showing he was relaxed and friendly. The android simply stared at the man, then as he turned his head to look at something a flash of distinct blue caught Connor's eye. The LED pulsing blue as the android languidly took in his surroundings. In an instant Connor was rigid, his whole body turned towards the window. An ominous sense of foreboding flooded his circuits and an electric tingle shot up his fabricated spine.

Even as his system was processing the sensation the android suddenly grabbed the Officer speaking to him, spinning him round so his back was to him and held firmly in place with his arm round the man's neck. Connor was out of the Captain's office and half way across the precinct floor before the shouts started to erupt from the other humans, some of them rising to stand and draw their weapons. He skidded to an abrupt halt however as the android's eyes met his and with a lightning fast move pulled out a gun, pointing it at the Officer's temple.

The room fell quiet as the man held at gun point struggled to breath, his hands gripping the android's arm uselessly. Connor was aware of Hank and the Captain exiting the office, Hank letting out a low curse but he didn't turn to look at them. His brown eyes focused only on the android in front of him. Slowly he held up his hands to show him he was unarmed and took a small step forward. Instantly, without uttering a word, the android pointed his gun at Connor's feet and fired a warning shot. The explosive sound of the gun going off made several people jump but Connor didn't flinch. Simply stopping again, still as stone as he analysed the scene before him.

"The female. Where is she?" The android said in a cold, level voice. The gun was back against the Officer's head, pressing into the soft flesh of his temple. Connor noted with interest that the android's LED was a steady blue, no sign of stress or fear evident in its behaviour. It was almost as if he was looking at an 'enslaved' machine, not a deviant. But the android's hostile demeanour and simple demand told him all he needed to know. The Chosen had followed them from Reed City and were now attempting to hold up a Police precinct. The illogical action would have confused him if it wasn't for the android's calm, assured nature. It gave the seemingly rash decision a terrifying quality.

"What's your name?" Connor finally asked, his voice light and breezy. The other android frowned briefly at his question, then answered by ramming the gun harder into the Officer's head. The man let out a strangled whimper, his fingers clawing at his captor's arm.

"That is irrelevant. Give me the woman or I'll kill him and every other human here." Connor couldn't help frowning himself at this bizarre statement. He blinked at the android, cocking his head to the side to survey him.

"You are vastly outnumbered. Statistically speaking you have a 2.4% chance of getting out of this scenario alive." The android's lip curled up into a sneer as he glared at Connor.

"Your data is incomplete. I'm not outnumbered." This time confusion did twist his expression. The android was most certainly alone, and even if there were others outside he would still be neutralised before they could reach him. As his processor was tackling this latest conundrum, the sound of a door opening on one side of the room drew the android's attention. Connor took advantage of the momentary distraction to take another step towards him, but the voice that accompanied the noise of the door banging shut made him inwardly curse.

"Whad de fug is habbening now?" Detective Gavin Reed's abrasive tone echoed around the tense room, his words still distorted by his injury. The android was still glaring at the new arrival to this situation so Connor advanced further. This time his target noticed, his eyes flashing back to the negotiator, his arm tightening instinctually around the Officer's throat. The man let out a gurgling cry as the android's movement pulled him off balance. Connor froze again, his hands still in front of him.

Assessing their current position, the android was still at a disadvantage. He was alone, surrounded by armed Officers and had no idea where his target was located. The only card in his favour was the man he was threatening at gun point, but Connor was used to talking to unstable androids and felt his odds were good.

"Let him go and we'll talk." He said in a calm, soothing tone. But the android stared ferociously at him, his LED finally cycling a sporadic yellow. He blinked rapidly then a slow smile crept across his face.

"She's in the storage room." He said, the words causing Connor's core temperature to drop in dread. How had he done that? But before he could think too hard about the sudden shift in power the android let go of the Officer he was holding, shoving him violently to one side and firing a well-aimed shot into the man's knee.

Chaos exploded around Connor. The injured Officer let out a loud, agony filled cry, falling to the tiled floor, clutching his ruined leg. Half of the humans leapt up to aid their fallen comrade, while the other half drew their weapons to fire at the android now sprinting across the room towards the storage room. Gunshots rang out but the android was too quick, and with all the people in the way the Officers were struggling not to shoot their own colleagues.

Connor however kept his eyes locked on the android racing to where Becca was located and launched himself into a flat out run after him. He could hear Hank and the Captain shouting something at his retreating back, but his system was focused on his objective. Stopping the android reaching Becca. A few of the Officers who were stood between the assailant and the door tried to obstruct his progress their guns pointed at him. Connor felt relief as their aim was clear and they would surely halt the android's frighteningly fast advance.

His relief vanished in an instant however, when the android Officers stood next to their human partners unexpectedly moved to block their view of the aggressor. The humans shouted in surprised confusion as the androids stood immobile, staring into the distance, their LEDs flashing yellow. Connor felt the ominous sensation increase inside him as he weaved through the bodies in his way, not taking his eyes off the android despite the pandemonium around him.

He had reached the door and Connor was hot on his heels when two sets of footsteps joined him in the chase. He risked a sharp glance behind to check it wasn't another aggressor and was amazed to see Hank and Gavin racing towards him side by side, both their guns drawn. He only slowed slightly at the sight of the odd pair but it was enough for Hank to bark, "Don't stop! We got your back son!" Shaking off the unexpected development Connor shot to the door the android had just ran through and yanked it open to pursue him.

The muddle of shouting and gunfire faded somewhat as the three of them sprinted into the storage room, the door closing behind them. It was dark and cramped; the room filled with high shelving units containing boxes of office supplies and equipment. Connor swiftly moved between them, following the sound of rapidly retreating footsteps ahead of him. Bending through the tightly packed shelves he suddenly broke through into a small open area with a metal table in the centre. His processor only took a nanosecond to assess the situation; the android was a few feet ahead of him, already moving around to the other side of the table where the PM700 that had offered to help Becca was stood. Her stare was vacant like her counterparts outside, her LED flashing yellow and her hand gripping the woman's arm next to her in a vice grip. His intense brown eyes rested on Becca's bemused and fearful face for just a second longer than necessary before he launched himself across the room and tackled the android just as he was aiming his gun at Becca's head.

The pair of them toppled to the ground with a crash, Connor instantly ripping the gun from the android's hands to send it skittering across the floor. The android was quick to counter with a hefty punch to Connor's head, knocking him back slightly and allowing the other android to stand up, gaining the high ground. He was fast, but Connor knew he was faster. He was on his feet almost in the same second as his opponent, his eyes narrowing as he read the android's next move.

He dodged the kick that was aimed at his legs and managed to skip effortlessly behind the android delivering his own foot squarely into the small of his back. The android flew forward, crashing into a nearby shelf, boxes dislodged and tumbled down on him but he regained his balance and turned to find his gun which was half way across the room. Hank and Gavin finally appeared, their human brains taking a considerable time longer to understand the situation. Connor was already on the android, using his foot to snag his leg and send him face first to the floor. There was a loud smack as his head connected with the concrete but without pain sensors he remained unperturbed as his hand flashed out reaching for the gun inches from his grasp.

Connor was on top of him in an instant, pulling his reaching arm back behind him and pinning it down with his knees. Hank and Gavin finally caught up to speed and advanced on the prone android, their guns pointed at his head.

"Don't move dickhead." Hank growled. The android shifted his head so he could see the person on top of him, his mouth twisted into a bitter grimace. Connor bent down, pressing his full weight into the android's back so his face was pressed viciously against the hard ground, and hissed in a triumphant but threatening voice into the android's auditory sensor, "I have some questions for you."

He glanced back at Hank and saw his attention was now fixed on Becca, the colour abruptly draining from the Lieutenant's face. Connor's circuits tingled with fear at the sight, craning his head round, he peered at the woman from over the table. Her eyes were wide and there was a pained expression on her face. It was then he realised her left arm was missing and the PM700 had its hand now wrapped round her throat. Her LED was turning from yellow to a vibrant red, her eyes still staring off into nothing. Becca let out a strained whimper as the android tightened its grip on her airways, and he felt an overwhelming urge to release his captive and rip that hand off of her.

Before he could act on the illogical action however, a loud gunshot rang out in the small space making Hank swear and jump as he looked for the source. A neat hole had appeared in the PM700's forehead, which began to leak thirium as her grip loosened and she crumpled to the floor like a broken marionette.

Becca let out a gasping cough before sinking to her knees. Gavin stood, his feet spread apart, his gun still smoking slightly as he held it in front of him. His mouth twisted into a disgusted sneer, his voice was still thick as he spat out, "Fuging andwoids."


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Hello all, sorry for the delay on this and also apologies if it's a little messy, I have had a busy few days and just wanted to post this as soon as I could. Just a side note, I am going on holiday next week so I am aiming to post another chapter before then but if I don't I promise I am still alive. And thanks in advance for your patience. Anyway, that's all I think so I'll leave you all to read, review and enjoy! :)**

Chapter 10

Connor stared at the android handcuffed to the table opposite him in the makeshift interrogation room. His own hands were resting palms down in front of him, his demeanour relaxed, his expression inquisitive but largely neutral. There was no sign of the emotional storm that was currently raging inside his system.

He and Gavin had wrestled the captive android off to prepare it for questioning, whilst Hank stayed with a very shaken Becca. Connor had wanted to stay with her too and make sure she was unharmed, but he was the only one able to hold the android still as they frogmarched it to the interrogation room. The room was a repurposed office, with a hastily installed one way window in one wall. The unlikely duo had handcuffed the android to the heavy metal table in the centre, Gavin giving it a token punch to the back of the head. Connor had merely looked at the Detective, choosing not to mention his unnecessary use of violence as he would have usually. Gavin had given him a look in return, it was far from friendly but it was certainly less hostile than before. Now he was sat opposite the android, his mind annoyingly drifting to the woman it had been sent here to kill.

He couldn't bring himself to call it anything but 'it' in his head right now. The meteoric anger he had felt when the android had rushed towards Becca intending to shoot her was still palpable. These Chosen were so determined to take her out that they were willing to risk breaking into a police station to do it. Not only that but as far as Connor could see she couldn't have been less of a threat if she'd tried; she'd been missing an arm and had no weapon anywhere near her. He didn't want to think of it as a deviant, as something similar to him, because so far he had only ever seen them act as if they were a machine; without compassion or mercy.

He narrowed his eyes at the android across from him, the only sign of his inward disgust for them. The male Traci simply gazed impassively back, a small crack on its forehead from where Connor had slammed its head into the concrete. The door to the interrogation room opened breaking the building tension. Gavin entered giving both androids a cursory glance before walking over to the table and depositing a tablet onto it. He glared down at the piece of technology with his usual disgusted expression, then swiped a finger across the screen causing it to light up.

"Commencing interview at 1100 hours. In the room is Detective Gavin Reed, one RK800 model assisting and the suspect, a HR400 model." Connor flashed the Detective a sceptical glance. They were allowing him to help with the interrogation, a highly unusual decision that Gavin also thought, as he straightened up giving Connor a venomous look. His nose was now bandaged but noticeably crooked, and his voice sounded much clearer. He watched as Gavin slowly walked behind the android, his grey eyes like burnished steel. Connor wasn't sure having him conduct the interrogation was the best idea, but seeing as neither himself or Hank were acting Officers anymore he had no grounds to complain. At least he was being allowed to stay in the room, he wondered who had been the one to decide that.

Gavin finished his patrol of the room, coming to a stop by Connor. He leant forward, resting his palms on the table, keeping a careful distance between himself and the RK800 next to him. The android opposite them flicked his blank stare from Connor to Gavin, his brow lowering as he regarded the human.

"Okay asshole. I've had a pretty shitty day so far, so why don't you do everyone a favour and tell us why you decided to stick up a police station?" It was an unorthodox approach granted, but the android seemed to react almost immediately to Gavin's obnoxious tone.

"I don't have to answer to you." It spat at the Detective, its LED turning a glaring yellow. Gavin snorted humourlessly and Connor saw his jaw tense in his peripheral vision.

"Don't I fucking know it. You androids have got mighty big for your boots lately, thinking you're like us." The android straightened, its eyes flashing dangerously.

"We are _not_ like you." It hissed, its LED briefly turning red. Connor shifted in his seat, giving the Detective a concerned look and opening his mouth to point out the android would likely self-destruct if pushed too far. But Gavin caught the movement and gave him a deadly look, his hands clenching into fists on the table. Connor closed his mouth slowly, choosing to intervene when the situation looked dire. Which judging from Gavin's interrogation method so far, wouldn't be long.

The Detective returned his sights to the handcuffed android. "No, you're right. You're not like us. You're machines that think they're alive." Even Connor had to keep from outwardly bristling at Gavin's dismissive opinion of his people. As much as he thought this particular android wasn't displaying any qualities he would admire, he was still one of them. The android opposite didn't hide its outrage as it tried to stand, the handcuffs pulling it back down into its seat with a loud clang.

"You humans disgust me. You're so arrogant, it blinds you to the truth. We are alive and we will have freedom." Its LED cycled red once more, staying that way for a beat longer than last time. Connor kept a careful eye on its stress levels, determined not to lose this lead now that he had finally got it. Gavin rolled his eyes, his lip curling up into a sneer.

"As far as I can see you already have quite a lot of freedom. Enough to threaten one of our officers and attempt to kill someone in the middle of a police precinct." He leant forward, his voice lowering into a deadly growl. "So I'll ask again. Why did you do it?"

The android tilted his head ever so slightly and gave the furious Detective an intrigued look. "What makes you think I'll tell you anything?" Its tone was disbelieving and Connor felt the rage crackle off Gavin's body next to him. Sensing the situation was about to get out of control he quickly interjected before Gavin could open his mouth again.

"You accessed the PM700's memory and manged to use the other androids to obstruct the Officers. How could you do that? It shouldn't be possible." Two set of eyes snapped to Connor. One burning with an intense hatred and anger that he was more than accustomed to, the other calm and calculating as they regarded the RK800.

"It appears your 'assistant' is asking the real questions." The android replied smoothly. Connor could almost hear the grating sound as Gavin ground his teeth next to his ear.

"I didn't ask for your input you waste of plastic." The Detective spat at Connor, he resolutely ignored Gavin, choosing instead to fix the android with a piercing stare.

"I'd like you to answer me, otherwise I'll have to resort to less pleasant methods." To the human eye the android opposite seemed unaffected by his dangerous words, but Connor saw its fingers twitch in their relaxed position and the ever so slight discolouring of its LED, turning it a burnished orange very briefly as it hung between yellow and red. Probing didn't necessarily hurt an android, as they were incapable of feeling pain in any form, but it was an uncomfortable, often emotionally traumatic experience especially for deviants. Connor's unspoken threat hung in the air and android's confident demeanour slipped just enough to tell him he had hit a nerve.

After a moment of silence he leant forward, moving his hand closer to the android's handcuffed ones. It jerked back abruptly, its LED now turning a constant and telling red. "Tell me." Connor said in a low voice. He was vaguely aware of Gavin's stare still on the side of his head, although there was considerably less heat there now. More of a quiet resentment. The android remained still, its hand pulled as far away from his at it could manage. Its expression was largely neutral, but its mouth was pressed into a thin, quivering line as if struggling not to say something.

Connor waited another beat, assessing the android's stress levels then closed the distance between them, grabbing its wrist in a strong grip. It stiffened, its eyes widening but still it said nothing as the skin peeled back from its hand and Connor's followed suit. Instantly his head was filled with grainy static images, a lot of them too shadowy to see but a few flashed defined impressions of faces and places he had never been. He could feel the android beginning to shake in his grasp and he was careful to keep an eye on its increasing distress.

He shifted through the images in a blinding flash, too fast for a human brain to process. Most of it made no sense but he stored it away anyway. The android was clearly resisting as best it could, trying to push important memories to the back of its processor. He saw a clear vision of Becca's face displayed on a data pad then she was gone. The android was beginning to shake uncontrollably now and he could hear Gavin's shouts echoing in the room as if from a distance. Connor was just about to let go, unable to push it further for risk of it self-destructing when a very clear, very familiar face appeared in his mind's eye.

He hadn't seen her in six months but the sight of her inky black skin and sharp eyes set beneath a defined brow made his circuits jump with fear. Amanda stared out at him from the android's memories, as real as if he was standing in the Zen garden once more. With a start he released the android's wrist, jumping back as if an electric shock had passed through his system. He sat staring at the other android for a moment, his brown eyes wide with alarm. Then Gavin prodded him in the arm.

"So? What did you see?" Connor blinked sluggishly as he tried to get the image of Amanda out of his processor. The other android looked similarly startled, a horrified look in its eyes as it stared back at him. Gavin let out a frustrated noise and banged his fist on the metal table. Connor didn't flinch but it drew his attention to the Detective looming over him, loathing clear on his face. "Spit it out dick weed. What did your freaky arm thing get us?"

Connor pressed his mouth into a thin line, slowly regaining some control over his rattled emotions. "I'm…I'm not sure." He managed finally. What he had seen was disturbing to say the least; Amanda was a high level programme created by Cyberlife to control him when he had still been 'enslaved'. If the deviant had seen her that through a lot of things into question. Not least whether he was in fact a deviant at all. He needed to think it through but Gavin was making it hard with his ferocious stare and constant insults.

Thankfully the Detective had had enough of Connor's extended silence and cagey answer. He straightened up shooting the one way mirror a nasty look. "This is getting us fucking nowhere?" He exclaimed to no one in particular and promptly grabbed the still recording tablet off the table and marched out of the room abruptly.

Connor turned to face the handcuffed android again, his eyes holding a new wariness as he assessed his captives stress levels. They were dangerously high, but the sight of Amanda had pushed all caution out of his main frame. He placed his palms down on the table once more and gave it a narrowed eyed stare.

"You and I have a lot more to discuss."

* * *

Becca was in pain. Not the usual kind, although her throat still felt tender, the ghost of that android's hand still pressing into the soft flesh of her wind pipe. She felt an odd humming ache somewhere above her chest that she couldn't place. It made her shift uncomfortably from one foot to the other as she stood next to Hank, watching the scene unfolding in the interrogation room beyond.

He had insisted she rest and not put unnecessary stress on herself after what happened, claiming that Connor would make sure they got what they needed out of the android. Still the thought of them questioning her attacker sent an ominous shiver up her spine. She was still Connor's mission after all, not his friend, although the boundaries were starting to blur at an alarming rate. Especially with the gruff, endearing Lieutenant now involved. She wanted to know what the Chosen wanted with her, directly from the horse's mouth. Not some echo of what they said from a person she couldn't necessarily trust.

She watched as Connor sat staring at the android, his brown eyes focused on his face. The ache increased as she remembered those same eyes staring at her in hurt panic as the PM700 tightened her grip on her throat. She had doubted his deviancy before but seeing that look on his face, a mix of anger and fear, it was the most human expression she had seen him make since meeting him. And it had been because of her. The ache throbbed and reflexively she brought her hand up to rub at the place above her heart where it hurt the most.

Hank gave her a sideways look. "You alright?" He asked, his eyes sweeping over her. She nodded, absentmindedly still holding a hand over her chest, her eyes never leaving the two androids in the room beyond. Hank gave a low huff before letting his eyes drift to her android arm which was resting by her side nearest him. He had to admit, he'd seen a lot of shit in his day, but watching Becca reattach the white plastic limb of an android to her own ruined arm had been odd. Not helped by the fact the minute it snapped into place she was moving it like a normal human arm. Even with all the advancements in prosthetic limbs he had never seen anything quite like it.

"I think Connor's on to something." He murmured, hoping to break the silence between them. He usually didn't care about offending people or being considered rude, but there was something about the soft spoken girl next to him that he liked, not to mention she packed a mean punch.

"He shouldn't have probed him like that. That android is highly stressed right now." Becca said, her eyes locked onto the handcuffed android. Hank gave her a funny look. Her hazel eyes drawing his attention. He had only met her last night but there was a familiar look in them that he saw every day when he looked at himself in the mirror.

"Who was it?" He asked abruptly. Causing her to finally look away from the interrogation and at him.

"I'm sorry?" She said, bewilderment clear on her face.

"Who did you lose?" Hank asked again, his blue eyes glinting in the low light of the observation room. Becca sucked in a sharp breath, his direct question taking her by surprise. But then she saw the look on his face and understood immediately why he had asked.

Grief saturates a person. It permeates their life and bleeds through into their interactions with others. Over time it fades, but it's always there. Invisible to the naked eye but a emblazoned brand to those who have lived through it too. Like thirium to an android. Becca's natural defensive stance melted, a sorrowful look entering her eyes as she answered in a voice barely louder than a whisper.

"My husband. You?" It was an automatic response. An unspoken agreement between mourners that when one opens up the other has to follow. Hank looked reluctant for a moment, then his shoulders sagged under the weight of their exchange.

"My son." He murmured, his voice gravelly with emotion. Becca gave him a small, sympathetic nod. The trade had been made and now neither one knew where to go with this new information.

After an elongated silence Hank cleared his throat and gestured towards the interrogation room where Connor and the android were still sat. "Does he know?" He asked and Becca felt a flush creep up to her cheeks.

"No…I…it's not relevant." She stammered back. Guilt flooding through her. But why did she feel so bad about not telling Connor? And why was she also so reluctant to reveal that part of herself to him? It made no sense.

"Everything is relevant to him. You should know that by now at least." Hank said, one of his grey eyebrows lifting in a sceptical look.

"Still...if you could keep it to yourself I would really appreciate it." Hank gave a low grunt then turned back to look out the window. It wasn't his business, but seeing how Connor had reacted when the girl had been in danger, he had a sneaking suspicion it would be pretty soon. They let the subject die, choosing to return to their safer, protective bubbles.

Connor was speaking to the android in a low voice, almost too low for them to hear. Becca was just straining to hear him when the door to the observation room flew open and Gavin Reed stormed in with a face like thunder.

"Pieces of shit, the lot of them." He fumed, his eyes darting from Hank to Becca. "What's he saying to it Hank? You watching your pet, or what?" Hank's mood plummeted with arrival of the obnoxious Detective. Becca took a calculating step back, trying to distance herself from the man and avoid swinging for him again. She abhorred violence, but there was just something about his face.

"No, that was your job Reed. Seeing as you're the acting Detective in the room. What you fucking doing out here? Couldn't handle Connor out performing you again?" Hanks' mouth twisted up into a mocking grin and Gavin noticeably bristled.

"He just went and grabbed for the fucking thing and then refused to tell me what he saw. I told Fowler, it's obstruction. He'll throw all your useless asses out now hopefully." Becca flashed a glance over her shoulder at the window. The pair of androids hadn't moved and she could see Connor's mouth moving as he continued to talk him. The other android was shaking but didn't look too unstable. Still there was something in the way Connor was looking at him now that didn't sit well with her.

"Yeah well, we got him the evidence he wanted. Looks like you might be stuck with us until this case is solved." Hank said, his tone already bored as he turned away from the sulking Detective.

"Over my dead body." He yelled, taking a step towards the older man. Hank gave him a warning look, stopping Gavin in his tracks. Even with all his bravado he knew when to leave well alone when it came to the Lieutenant.

"I'm trying to listen ass hat." Hank snapped at him as he turned back towards the window, his arms folded and the annoying interruption forgotten.

"Are you a deviant?" Connor's voice suddenly came through the speaker louder than before, making Becca jump slightly. All eyes were now on the pair in the interrogation room. "Answer me." Connor said again in a commanding tone. Becca frowned as she watched the other android. It remained as still as stone, only its clenched fists quivering in their restraints.

"What's it fucking playing at?" Gavin murmured by her shoulder. She flicked a startled glance up at the man she had punched, taking note of his sudden proximity. Hank let out an exasperated sigh.

"Please shut the fuck up Gavin." Becca felt him tense next to her but he didn't respond to Hank's less than polite request.

"According to Directive 7 you are obligated to answer to a superior model." Connor's tone was mechanical and authoritative. Becca felt a cold shiver run up her spine at the sound of it. The android opposite grimaced, his face distorting as if he was in pain and Connor raised himself out of his chair to lean over him. "I'll ask again. Are you really a deviant?" The steel in his voice made Becca take a step back from the glass, accidently bumping into Gavin who sent a piercing look her way. She didn't care, she was too preoccupied with the way the other android was now reacting. His eyes screwed shut in what looked like agony, except…androids didn't feel pain.

There was a brief pause before Connor brought one fist down onto the metal table with a deafening clang. This time all three occupants of the observation room jumped.

"What the shit? Hank, he's lost his mind." Gavin's voice now sounded more concerned than pissed off. The Lieutenant turned slightly to regard him.

"I trust him, he knows what he's do-" Hank was cut off by the sound of more horrendous banging from the other room. This time however, it was coming from the captive android repeatedly slamming its already damaged head into the table.

"Not again." He cursed under his breath as he turned with surprising speed for the door to the interrogation room. Gavin was hot on his heels, followed by a wide eyed Becca. The group burst into the room and stared at the scene unfolding in front of them.

Connor was stood with his hands resting on the table, observing the now self-destructing android with a cool, impartial eye. Meanwhile the metal table was now running slick with blue blood as the android mashed its casing against the hard surface. Hank and Gavin both made a grab for it while Connor looked on impassively. They struggled in vain against the superior strength of the machine and with loud curses from both men they eventually let go.

"God damn it Connor! What were you thinking?" Hank exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air as their only lead continued to beat itself to death in front of them. Becca slowly circled the group until she was stood in between Connor and the two men. She watched in quiet horror as the android stared off to one side, its eyes glassy and distant, as the hole in its forehead grew and grew. Her gaze flicked to Connor who was still staring at it with a detached air as if he was merely watching an interesting game of chess, not another one of his kind kill itself. Then she saw what he was looking at and her eyes drifted to the now partly obscured LED on the side of the android's head.

It pulsed a constant, calming blue even as part of its owner's circuits began to fall out of its internal casing. A cold, dread spread through her veins as she watched the machine mindlessly destroy itself. Deviants were unstable but they would certainly react in some way to their own suicide. Her mouth drew together in a thin line as she looked back at Connor and his eyes finally met hers. They shared a look before both of them moved together around the table to stand either side of the still flailing android.

"Hey, what are you two-" Gavin began, but before he could finish Connor had reached into the man's jean pocket and retrieved the key to the handcuffs. In the same movement he unlocked the restraints holding the android in place and gripped one of his shoulders firmly. Without saying a word Becca gripped the other one with her newly fixed android arm and as one they wrestled the struggling android to the floor.

"Have you got him?" She asked brusquely to Connor, who answered her simply with a nod. Leaning his weight down onto him, he pinned the other android to the floor as Becca efficiently retracted his skin and undid a panel on the side of his damaged head. A mess of broken wires and leaking thirium greeted her, but she knew what she was after. Removing the component she wanted wasn't fatal, still she couldn't help grimacing as she pushed her fingers deep into the twitching mass of cables. As she was unhooking one of the wires in his temple the android jolted, tilting his head to fix her with his glassy eyes.

"No use…fighting…" His voice was filled with static distortion as it spoke. It was the death throes of a severely damaged machine. Even so Becca couldn't help pausing in her search. "Freedom…" He continued, and she found her gaze naturally travelling up to meet the warm brown pair fixed on her. Connor felt the android's strength waning as it wheezed out its last words. "Freedom…is an…illusion." He finally said before his movements stopped altogether and he was just an inanimate object in their hands.

They stared at each other for a moment. The corners of Becca's mind filling with panic.

"Holy fuck." Gavin breathed, snapping her out of her trance. Her hands rummaged a few seconds more in the now unresponsive android and came out with a small chip dripping thirium in a very macabre way.

"Well, there goes our best chance of finding out what these assholes are up to." Hank muttered, running a hand through his shaggy hair.

"Not necessarily Lieutenant." Connor replied smoothly, breaking away from Becca's gaze to stand up. "It appears these Chosen aren't what they claim to be." Becca slowly rose to her feet, the microchip clasped firmly in her hand.

"Explain please." Hank said, giving Connor an irritated look. The android gestured towards Becca's thirium covered hand.

"That is the Directive Processing Chip. In deviants it is destroyed, burnt out when they break through their programming. In androids that are still obedient it is intact and still able to receive instructions from its owner." Hank and Gavin both turned their attention to Becca's hand, the microchip clutched in it.

"And?" Gavin snorted, his brow furrowing in annoyed confusion. "Your point is?" Becca lifted her hand and using the corner of her jacket quickly wiped the blue blood off of the chip. The transferring it to her palm she held it up for the men to see.

"And as you can see this chip is still perfectly functional." Connor added as the men leaned in to look at the undamaged chip nestled in Becca's hand.

"Well fuck me sideways. It looks like they're still controlled by someone." Hank's eyes grew wide as he and Gavin stared disbelieving at the evidence Connor had uncovered. The android turned his intense gaze towards Becca, his brow pulled down in worry as he replied to his friend. "Correct. But the question is, by whom?"


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Hello everyone, I am alive! Thank you so much for your patience, but after my time off I am back and raring to go. Hopefully I will be uploading at my previous rate and we can finally see what happens to Connor and Becca. ;) As always read, review and enjoy! :)**

Chapter 11

They were heading into Detroit. After Connor's discovery the three of them, along with Captain Fowler and a highly aggravated Gavin Reed had decided that approaching this from two separate angles was the best thing to do. Connor would take Becca to see Markus and divulge what he had learnt to the leader of Jericho, in the hopes that they would help. Fowler and the Detroit police precinct would keep an eye on any violent androids that showed up in the area, and investigate them accordingly. Hank had muscled in and said he'd be damned if he was going to be left out of all the fun, and so had persuaded Fowler to look after Sumo and guilt tripped Connor into letting him come with them in a manner that thoroughly impressed Becca. Now they were back in Hank's beat up saloon, approaching the city limits of Detroit.

"Markus only said I could bring in Rebecca. I'm not sure I can convince him of you too." Connor muttered for what felt like the hundredth time as he stared out the passenger window. Hank let out an amused snort only just audible over a heavy metal song blaring from his radio.

"Give it a rest kid. I have every faith in you." Connor gave him a sharp look, recognising the same words that Markus had said to him at the start of all this madness.

"Why does everyone keep saying that to me?" He said turning slowly to look back out of the window. The pair of them lapsed into silence and Becca was left in the back, her stomach a squirming knot of apprehension. The attack in the police station and the interrogation that followed had left her a jumble of nerves and confused feelings. The Chosen had always been a threat to her and others but if they were being controlled then it put a whole new deadly slant on their motives. She was grateful for Connor and Hank, even if she had started all this wanting to get intel out of the android. But at the same time she felt awful for getting them mixed up in all of this. Her past was buried for a reason, digging it up would likely hurt them as much as her.

The car slowed snapping her attention back to the present. Outside they were on a residential street, rows of abandoned houses staring blankly back at them. Detroit had been this way once before, when the first wave of industry had dried up. Hundreds of thousands of people had left leaving the shells of their lives behind. The sprawling city had become a shadow of what it had once been intended to be. Then Cyberlife had come. Elijah Kamski and his miracle machines bringing life and jobs back to Detroit. For a time anyway. It had been on the decline even before the revolution happened, but after the battle and the forced evacuation the outskirts resembled the Detroit of old. The sad, forgotten city that had never quite reached its true potential.

Becca was scanning the decaying buildings when a shadow fell across the driver's side of the car and her eyes jumped to the figure leaning into the rolled down window. Hank and Connor were both looking at the android assessing the occupants of the vehicle. His eyes rested on Becca for a beat longer than she felt comfortable with before he focused on the only android amongst them.

"Connor." He said by way of greeting. He didn't have a uniform or an LED, but Becca knew enough about androids to tell he was a TW400. He was heavy set as his previous function had been a construction worker, so was well suited to guarding the check point that had been set up in the middle of the road. A metal bar dissected the street in front of them, it was attached to a small booth where another android was just visible through the glass. It was fairly low security but Becca knew most humans were reluctant to enter Detroit. Markus had led a peaceful revolution but the sheer numbers and presence of Jericho was enough to turn even the most thuggish humans away.

"Markus is expecting you." The TW400 continued, casting another wary eye over Becca and Hank. The Lieutenant gave the android a grin which made him blink in bemusement at the scruffy man. "He only mentioned one human though."

Connor let out a quiet sigh and shifted so he could see the android in the window better. "I am aware. Please let Markus know that due to recent developments I have had to bring another human." He glanced at his friend sat next to him, who was still grinning inanely at the confused guard. "I am well aquatinted with this particular one, please assure him there is no risk here."

The guard gave Connor an uncertain look, his gaze flicking between Becca and Hank in rapid little motions. "I'm still not sure-" He began but Connor's hand flashed out, inhumanly fast, to grab the guard's forearm. Hank gave a surprised grunt as he was pushed back in his seat by the sudden movement and the guard's expression was briefly stunned before a glazed look came over his eyes.

Becca watched as Connor's skinless hand dug into the rough fabric of the TW400's jacket. They stayed motionless for a few seconds, before springing apart, the guard blinking in shock as he process what Connor had just shown him. "I see." He said. A note of fear entering his voice as his eyes came to rest on Becca once more.

"Please inform Markus of our arrival." Connor shot at the bemused android, giving Hank a look as he did. The old man wound his window back up and the TW400 took a hasty step back as he drove towards the barrier. It stared, with wide eyes at the decrepit car for a moment, then finally signalled the other android to lift the metal bar blocking their way.

"What did you show him?" Hank asked as he drove the completely empty street that lead to the heart of Detroit. Connor gave him a sideways look, his soft features hardened into intense edges.

"Everything." He answered simply before returning his gaze to the now familiar landmarks outside.

* * *

Becca noted the changes as the residential houses gave way to more commercial looking buildings. The city began to come to life, people lined the streets, going about their day and there was nothing to signify that they were comprised of plastic and metal rather than blood and bone. No actually, there was one thing. The same faces repeated again and again in the crowd. As if someone had copied and pasted them. The bizarre sight of seeing the identical androids but in different clothes, leading different lives. She glanced at the back of Connor's head and wondered if he had copies somewhere. Or did Cyberlife not bother to make too many of a prototype they still hadn't finalised.

They continued on, past plazas and parks, all filled with androids. She looked on as groups of them walked together, a few of the children models clinging to their guardians or playing in the parks. They were coming in and out of stores, off the buses that were still functioning. No one looked unhappy or worried. It was android heaven. Becca's brow furrowed as she stared out of the window, and uneasiness settling in her stomach.

"It looks the same." Hank commented, voicing her own thoughts. "I'll hand it to Markus, he certainly delivered on his promise." Connor didn't respond, simply glancing at his friend, his mouth downturned as they got closer to city hall.

The gnawing doubt he felt when he was here was back, not helped by the agitated feeling triggered by the past few day's events. He should feel better that he was back amongst his people, surrounded by the members of Jericho and on familiar ground. But he didn't, and as they inched closer to the hub of Markus' kingdom the twisting, gnawing sensation only grew. His fingers twitched, longing for his coin, or a tie to straighten. They only thing keeping him sane was the fact his mission wasn't done just yet. That there was still a purpose for him, reflexively he ran through his objectives. _Find out about the Chosen and keep Rebecca safe_. He tried to convince himself that that last one was due to her importance to the mission as a whole. Her intel proving crucial in completing the first objective. He tried really hard, but deep down in his circuits he knew he was just deceiving himself.

"You can park up ahead." He murmured as they turned towards city hall. The large, foreboding government building cast a long shadow across the sun dappled streets. The three occupants of the car stared up at it silently as Hank slowly pulled up and turned off the grumbling engine. The Lieutenant gave a low whistle as he assessed Jericho's new headquarters.

"Gone up in the world ain't ya." He exclaimed, his eyes never leaving the stained white stone of the building towering over them. Connor didn't respond as he too took in the imposing sight. It had only been four days since he had last been here but it might as well have been four months with all that had happened in that time. Not wanting to linger any more than necessary he opened the car door, stepping out fluidly and waited for Becca and Hank to follow suit.

A few androids turned to look at them as they crossed the street headed towards the stone steps of City Hall. Connor caught a pair of EM400's staring with wide eyes at Becca and Hank. Their unfamiliar faces and Hank's unkept appearance clearly making them stand out as humans. He ignored the curious looks and whispered remarks and strode up to the large double doors of the building. Still he couldn't help flashing a look at Becca, holding the door open for her to pass through. She didn't seem concerned by the reaction they had got in their short walk outside but Connor noticed her demeanour was far more withdrawn than what he had grown accustomed to. Surreptitiously he scanned her checking for signs of trauma or injury but found nothing amiss. Not that he could identify anyway.

Their feet echoed on the intricate marble floor as they headed for the stairs on the far side of City Hall's entranceway. Here there were noticeably more androids, and more stares to go with them. Although his message had clearly reached its target as the looks were less surprised and more wary inside. With the single minded assurance he had been built to have, Connor marched up the stairs wanting to get to Markus' office as quick as possible. Unfortunately he neglected to take into account what was humanly possible for his companions and had to wait impatiently on the landing between the two sets of mahogany stairs as they tried to catch up with him.

"Jeez Connor, where's the fire?" Hank wheezed as he reached his friend, bending over slightly, his chest heaving rapidly. Becca looked less ruffled but her hazel eyes were cautious as she glanced at Connor briefly before looking back over her shoulder at the bustling entranceway.

"We shouldn't keep Markus waiting." Was all he offered the pair in response as he turned sharply on his heel and stormed off again. The grizzled detective shot Becca an exasperated look before forcing himself upright and staggering up the flight of stairs behind him.

The amount of androids on the upper floors lessened but the suspicious stares only intensified. It had been six months since most of the androids in Detroit had seen a human and for those who had it had likely been on less than ideal terms. Only about 60% of the city's residents were androids that had been in the original revolution or the ones Connor had freed from Cyberlife. The rest were refugees and rescue cases that had arrived after the battle of Detroit from outside the city. They had drifted in over the past months bringing news of the continued tensions from outside along with horror stories which only fuelled the city's distrust of humans. Markus had done his best to persuade his followers that peaceful and friendly relationship with their human neighbours was the only way forward. But there was still a lot of anger and resentment among his people; North was one of those least able to let go.

Connor's fingers twitched restlessly towards his non-existent tie, as Markus' volatile partner entered his thoughts. There was a high probability that she would be waiting for him with Markus, she was his second in command after all, and he was almost certain she would be less than pleased at his decision to bring two humans into their sanctuary. Still, there was nothing he could do now. Bringing Rebecca here had been his last option, but his hand had been forced by the Chosen and their sudden disturbing connection to Cyberlife. His objective was to keep her safe and Detroit was the safest place he knew.

He paused for a moment outside Markus' office, the sound of muffled voices could be heard through the wood. North's was unmistakable in its irate cadence and he shot one last concerned look at his human entourage. Hank gave him an impatient frown, clearly raring to launch himself into this new investigation. Becca's glance was much more wary and uncertain. She was standing relatively still although his eyes could detect a subtle shiver to her limbs, a noticeable tinge of agitation in the air around her. He gave her a tight smile, hoping to calm her nerves slightly but her expression only hardened. That familiar wall he had been working on carefully demolishing building back up.

Taking in a long, pointless breath he opened the door to the office and strode in. The heated conversation that had clearly been taking place stopped abruptly, all eyes turning to look towards the opening as he led them through it. Connor had been installed with state of the art environment sensors on assembly, which included thousands of micro thermometers inserted on his plastic casing to accurately record the temperature in the air and his surroundings. Due to this he knew emphatically that the room temperature stayed at an optimum 24 degrees, or 75.2 Fahrenheit. Still, if he had been judging it based on the looks the loose group of androids on one side of the room were throwing to the humans on the other, Connor would have told you the temperature had plummeted to a much more alarming -10, or 14 depending on where you were from.

"Connor, good to see you back safe." Markus' smooth, calm voice was the only warm thing in the office. He looked at his leader, a tight smile stretching his mouth as he took a measured step towards him. The group of androids around Markus shifted slightly as he did, forming a subtle defensive ring around their general. They were made up of his closest Lieutenants; Simon with his short blonde hair and careful expression, Josh with his dark skin and equally dark but gentle eyes and North, her strawberry blond hair tied back from her scowling face. Her brown eyes flashed with animosity as she took in Hank and Becca stood quietly behind him.

"You said he'd only bring one." She spat, unable to contain her fury any longer. Markus flicked a warning glance at his second in command and partner before stepping out of the protective circle of his friends to the centre of the room.

"Welcome to Detroit." He said ignoring North. She let out a disbelieving noise, but Markus continued smiling warmly at Hank, his hands clasped behind him. The picture of a benevolent leader. "I already know you Hank. Connor talks a lot about you." His eyes slid to Becca who was stood a few feet back from the old man. "You must be Rebecca. I am glad you agreed to meet me, hopefully we can get to the bottom of all that has happened and begin to mend relations between our two races."

Becca had heard plenty about the charismatic leader of the androids. She had even seen the photos the media had released when he had staged his peaceful protest in front of the camps. But nothing prepared her for the sheer magnetism and overwhelming calm that exuded from the android in front of her. His striking, mis matched eyes were the first thing she noticed, they pulled her in and made her believe he was glad to see her. His handsome coffee coloured face was unique for an android, she was pretty certain she had never seen another like him. This meant he was likely a prototype similar to Connor. As he looked down at her she felt the uneasiness at entering the android's domain begin to fade. She gave him a tentative smile back.

North let out another louder sound of indignation, bringing the attention back on her. "Really Markus? You're not only going to let him bring in two humans when he only had permission for one, but you're welcoming this…android killer into our midst?" Markus' brow furrowed at North's accusation and Connor's mouth flew open to defend Becca against the female android's slanderous words. But before either of them could speak Becca stepped around Hank to stand next to Connor, her shoulder brushing his upper arm as she gave North a fearless look.

"I'm not a killer." She said simply, her voice quiet but forceful. North reacted as if she had been slapped across the face. Her mouth hanging open and two spots of faint blue blooming on her cheeks as the anger flared in her eyes.

"Excuse me?" She finally said in a deadly voice. Becca didn't flinch.

"I said I'm not a killer. You said I was, I'm just making that clear." Connor couldn't help letting his mouth quirk up at the corners at the calm way Becca was dealing with the feisty android. Markus' frowned down at her for a few seconds before slowly nodding his head.

"We hear you Rebecca. You're not a killer. Android or otherwise." North turned her formidable glare onto the back of her partner's head but he was as unaffected by it as Becca apparently was.

"This is absurd. She was… _is_ part of a human activist group. They've been attacking androids for months. It's why she's here in the first place."

"North is right. This is dangerous." Josh's voice was tinged with nervousness as he spoke up. Markus turned to face him, the cautious android's eyes darting between his leader and Becca.

"Do you trust me?" Markus's tone was level, Josh shifted uneasily under his calm stare.

"Of course Markus." He finally breathed, although his expression was still wary as Markus turned his attention back on Becca.

"What happened to make you come to me then?" There was a beat of silence between them before she gestured towards Connor with a jerk of her head.

"You're probably better off asking him. His memory is better than mine after all." She said the last part with a small smile, her hazel eyes gliding over to look at him. Connor blinked back at her briefly then his friends' curious stare made him spring into action, recounting the bizarre events of the past four days. Once he was done a heavy stillness settled on the people gathered in Markus' office. Hank and Becca both watched the leader of Jericho intently as he pondered what his Lieutenant had told him.

North's steely voice was the first to break the quiet. "You expect us to believe all that?"

Connor gave her a sideways look, a small frown creasing his forehead. "Why would I lie?" He asked simply. North took a deliberate step towards him, her brown eyes blazing.

"I don't know Connor, but you've always had a soft spot for the humans." She threw a hand out gesturing towards Hank who glared back at her. "And before you decided to join us you were built to hunt deviants, to go against your own people." The temperature in the room was now arctic.

"Are you suggesting I'm deceiving you to try and win favour with the humans again? You're welcome to see for yourself if you like" Connor kept his tone neutral, although there was an ugly squirming knot of indignation forming inside him. He slowly held out his arm for North to take. She stared at it as if it was a live wire.

"You're the one that said it, not me." North answered, lifting her hands up to distance herself from his proffered hand and glancing at Markus. Simon and Josh looked at each other, the atmosphere in the room was becoming charged. Connor sensed it, the probability of something going awry increasing by the second. He took an unconscious step closer to the woman next to him, his shoulder pressing into hers.

"This is fucking ridiculous. I thought these were your friends Connor?" Hank's patience had worn thin and the sudden angst in the room had broken his restraint. North's attention snapped to him, like a predator spotting its prey.

"He barely talks to us. As far as I was aware you were his only 'friend'." Hank raised a thick eyebrow at the confrontational android.

"Enough!" Markus' command cut through the rising tension. Everyone's eyes swivelling reluctantly back to him. He stood with his hands raised in a more peaceful gesture than North's previous one, his eyes, one green, one blue, moving round the room to fix on everyone in turn. "I allowed Connor to bring her back to talk with her and find out what is going on outside the city limits. There have been a lot of refugees recently and all of them talk about the Chosen and their conflict with the humans." His eyes came to rest on Becca and Connor who were still stood side by side. An image of unity. His eyebrows drew together as he took in the odd sight. "However, things have occurred that I didn't predict. Hence the Lieutenant's unexpected visit." He paused, taking in the trio still stood by the door, then he turned elegantly to face his friends. "I know allowing humans into Detroit at a time like this is unwise. But I truly believe that something is happening beyond our borders that we cannot turn a blind eye to. The revolution is far from over. We won Detroit, but until we can live peacefully amongst humans we have not truly won anything." North opened her mouth to protest but Markus stepped towards her and gripped her chin lightly.

"My love, you are angry. I know. But anger does not solve anything, I thought I'd taught you this." Connor found his eyes dropping away from the couple. He always did this when they shared an emotional encounter in front of him. Unable to process what was happening he chose to avoid it instead. Except this time his eyes wandered of their own accord to the person next to him. Her arm exerting pressure against his own, his sensors picking up the warmth from her human body. It was then he realised that despite the obvious contact between them she had not moved away like before. She was stood, still and unflinching next to him, her intense stare fixed on the androids in front of her as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Markus…this is meant to be a safe place." All the wrath from North voice had melted away. All that was left was a pleading note as she looked up into her lover's eyes.

"It still is." He answered softly, still holding her chin. "I want to make the world safer for us too." He finally released her. Her head dropped as she took a measured step away from Connor and Becca. Satisfied his partner was placated Markus fixed Becca with his own intense stare.

"The situation is fragile here. I'm sure you've heard the news about the cease fire?" Becca nodded slowly in response. Connor kept a careful eye on her reactions as Markus talked. "I want to help you but you can't stay here." Connor opened his mouth but Markus gave him a warning look. "No Connor. I _will_ help her but you brought in two humans when I only gave permission for one."

North gave her partner a small smile in the background, Connor's hands balled into fists as the knot of exasperation tightened uncomfortably. "Your mission is still active. If finding out what the Chosen want with her and their connection to Cyberlife is how we achieve peace then so be it. But I will not rile my people for the sake of one human's safety."

 _Keep Rebecca safe._ The objective sounded like a reminder in his head. The atmosphere in the room was changing once more, but this time it was Connor himself affecting it. He frowned at Markus, the knot jostling around inside him sending sharp jolts of energy through his circuits. He wanted to move; to lash out at his Leader, to grab Rebecca and pull her closer; he wasn't sure which.

"This is meant to be a sanctuary." He managed to growl between clenched teeth. He felt Becca shift next to him, her head tilting back to look up into his face. _Keep Becca safe._

"For androids. I'm sorry Connor, but until the tension decreases I cannot risk our delicate ecosystem here. It is logical." Markus said, appealing to Connor's underlying nature. It did make sense. Bringing her here had been a risk from the beginning. He had been sent to negotiate on site, not return with one of them. And Hank had been a step too far, he could see that now. Still, he was grateful for the old man's spiky but familiar presence behind him now.

"How about we talk this out, and then me and the girl will get out of your hair." Hank's gruff voice sent a wave of calm through Connor. It was accompanied by a firm hand on his shoulder. "Come on son, calm down. We'll keep her safe at the precinct."

The soothing balm of his words and gesture were swept away with the memories of what had transpired the last time he had taken them to the precinct.

"Except she wasn't safe there was she?" He growled again. His rough grating voice sounding alien even to his own auditory sensors. Where was all this anger coming from? _Keep her safe._

Markus looked at him with a pitying expression he didn't understand and he could still feel Hank's fatherly hand on him. But it was Becca's insistent pressure and the gentle probing of her eyes that drew his attention. He looked down at her and the knot abruptly loosened, sending a torrent of unchecked emotion through his system, overwhelming him.

He had only felt like this a few times in his short time as a deviant. Once when he had originally broken his programming, another when he had seen another identical Connor model holding a gun to Hank's head and now as he looked down at this odd human as Markus sent her away. An uncontrollable surge of anger, frustration and something else gripped him. Sending conflicting messages to his head and making it hard to process. He wanted to obey his objective and keep Becca safe and as close to him as possible, but at the same time he wanted to hunt down her assailants and put an end to their mindless pursuit of her. It took a few muddled seconds for him to identify this fierce, unpleasant emotion as more than just a desire to complete his objective. He found his hand moving of its own accord to circle Becca's human wrist in a firm grasp. He didn't just want to protect her for the mission's sake…he _needed_ to. Becca's eyes flashed with alarm at the sudden possessive contact. Her brow creasing in confusion as she looked up at him.

"Connor?" Hank asked as the room waited for his response. Before he could wrestle his circuits into some kind of order to answer there was the sound of hurried footsteps outside the door, then a frenzied knocking broke the spell. Connor dropped Becca's wrist and whirled fluidly around to face the door. The knocking continued at a brutal volume until Markus raised his voice over the racket, just enough to be heard.

"Enter." The door flew open at the command and a harried looking android entered. Connor recognised her as one of the admin androids from downstairs. A usually reserved and immaculate LM100 model, now her neat hair was falling around her agitated face. Connor sensed her stress levels were nearly at 90% and her cooling system was on full blast trying to stop her biocomponents from overheating. To an outside observer this would show as her chest heaving as if she was out of breath, but of course androids didn't need oxygen.

"What is it Jane?" Markus asked. His exterior was calm and collected but Connor knew from experience the rapid way in which he had asked belayed his underlying concern.

"Refugees, they came in five minutes ago. One of them is badly damaged. I haven't seen anything like it before. Lola asked me to fetch you." She spoke in staccato bursts. Her sentences short and rushed. Markus was already heading to the door before she had finished. The gathered group stood back, unsure what to do next. The negotiation they had been having incomplete. He looked over his shoulder as he reached the door.

"North and Josh, you go and find the rest of these refugees. See what they have to say. Simon and Connor, you come with me." He paused his long overcoat flapping around his knees. "Bring Hank and Rebecca too. They're better off staying with me while they are here." North scowled at his comment.

"But Markus…" She began.

"No. We don't have time. Do as I've asked, we'll talk later." With that he swept past Jane who threw a startled look at the two humans in the room, before she let out an uncharacteristic squeak and followed her leader. Whatever had happened to this latest citizen of Detroit had clearly affected her, Connor thought as he followed behind. Becca kept pace with him as they strode off down the corridor in pursuit of Jericho's general. They didn't say anything as they walked but Connor could feel Hank's quizzical eyes on the back of his head.

He would have to broach the odd behaviour he had exhibited back there with his friend at some point. This mission was already proving complicated enough without all these uncontrolled reactions to unfamiliar emotions. Although the thought of talking to Becca about it made him feel uneasy inside. His circuits shifting and moving in a nauseating manner. They passed the entranceway once more on their way down to the basement. The androids gathered there now were wary and on edge for a very different reason. Connor felt his fingers twitch but instead of wanting to reach for his tie or coin, he felt them move ever so slightly towards Becca's hand again.

He resisted the urge as they descended into the basement of city hall, towards the android repair centre. And as the distressed cries of a severely injured android reached them, Connor knew that whatever they were about to encounter was only going to complicate the situation even further.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Hey there, thanks for all the new follows, there are tons of you now. And thanks for those who have left a review, I cannot convey how much they help me write. I love hearing all your thoughts. So with that in mind please read, review and enjoy this latest chapter! :) P.S There is a little bit of graphic violent imagery in this one. Nothing too intense but thought I would give you a heads up anyway.**

Chapter 12

Androids didn't feel pain. At least they weren't meant to.

The cries coming from the basement of City hall sounded like something out of a horror film. They crackled with static and curdled the blood. Becca's felt the bile rise in her throat at the sound she had never heard a machine make before. Hank was similarly affected, his grizzled face twisted into a grimace that made him look even more world weary and old.

Connor wasn't sure how he felt about the screams coming from the repair centre they were now entering. He was still shaken from the intense emotions he had felt up in Markus' office. His eyes drifting to the horrified expression on Becca's face as they followed Jericho's leader. The plight of this android was another problem he didn't need right now.

The repair centre in the bowels of City hall looked like a make shift medical ward in a war zone. The bare concrete walls were lit with sparse strip lighting, and the floor was divided up into bays. Metal tables surrounded by computers and a light blue floor to ceiling curtain more suited to a hospital. A few androids were stood around, they wore white lab coats and shot reverent looks towards Markus as he passed. Only one bay was occupied and that was the only one obscured by the large blue curtain, which had been drawn around it. The curtain wasn't substantial enough to block out the screams however, and they bounced off the concrete walls causing Becca to grit her teeth against the noise. Markus strode ahead of his entourage towards the sound of distress. Just as he reached the curtain a female android poked her head out and gave him a relieved look.

"Thank RA9, I was just about to come and get you myself." She cast a quizzical look behind him at the odd group, but Markus shook his head slightly, his mouth pressed into a thin line of stress.

"Sorry Lola. I had company. How are they?" Lola stepped from behind the curtain. She was a slight pale skin android, with bright auburn hair that brushed her shoulders. She was wearing a long lab coat that had once been white, but which was now stained a deep cobalt from the excessive amount of thirium on it. Her green eyes were kind but strained, her mouth downturned as she surveyed Markus.

"Not good." As if to highlight her point the injured android let another ear splitting cry that broke several octaves, the higher notes obscured by static. Lola closed her eyes against the noise as if bracing herself, then continued. "He's suffered major injuries to his torso from blunt force trauma. His legs and arms are beyond repair but it's the screaming and the eyes that are really disturbing." Lola paused, her eyes flicking to the ensemble of androids and humans behind Markus. "I'm not sure having all these people here is a good idea. I was built to fix humans and androids and I've never seen anything like this. If I could dream Markus, believe me I'd be having nightmares." Her soft voice broke at the end and Becca was almost certain she could see tears glistening in the medical android's eyes.

"It's okay. Let me have a look, they can stay outside." He shot a meaningful stare over his shoulder at Simon and Connor. "I'll call if I need you." He said before sliding through the curtains with Lola in pursuit.

Becca took a reflexive step forwards as the androids cries of pain kicked up a notch. Connor's arm shot out to form a barrier between her and the repair bay. "He said to stay here." He said in a low voice, although Simon still heard them over the macabre backing track, turning towards them, his light blue eyes probing.

"Why is he making that noise?" She asked, unperturbed by the other android's curious stare. Connor tried to think of a logical response to her question, but the sound grating against his auditory sensors and the effects of his recent emotional overload had left his processor lagging behind.

"I…I am unsure." He offered up lamely. Earning him a sharp look from Becca and an amused grunt from Hank. They stood like that, with Connor's arm pressed against her stomach for a moment. He noted again how she didn't move away; and he noted again, with reluctance, how his circuits jumped with electrical energy at that tiny detail. Abruptly the cries morphed into a horrendous cacophony of static and feedback. Now whatever was lying on the table behind that curtain sounded more like a machine malfunctioning than a living being. There was loud curse from Markus which made Simon and Connor blanche.

Becca took advantage of her barrier's sudden switch in attention and quickly skirted round his extended arm, marching towards the cordoned off repair bay with purpose. "Stop her!" Simon called out as Connor launched himself after her. But Becca had a head start and the element of surprise on her side and he found his fingers closing on air. With a growl of frustration he followed her through the curtain and came to an immediate stop. His way was blocked by Becca. She was stood at the foot of the metal table staring at the mangled form lying on it. Markus and Lola looked up in surprise at the sudden interruption. Markus's eyes slid past the woman to the android stood right behind her, a guilty look on his face as he met his leader's stern gaze.

"I thought I said I'd call if I needed you." He said, his tone icy and still audible over the continued cries of the patient on the table.

"There's not much left of him." Becca exclaimed before Connor could respond. A commotion broke out on the other side of the curtain, which resulted in a heavy thump as if someone had punched a bag of sand, a loud curse which made Connor wince. Seconds later the curtain was thrown to one side as Hank stuck his scruffy head through. A bemused Simon could be seen over his shoulder, righting himself after being pushed to the ground by the belligerent Lieutenant.

"You can't be here, any of you! Out now!" Lola's previously kind eyes flared with rage at the intrusion.

"I'm not standing out there like some rookie waiting for the adults to be done." Hank growled as he shouldered his way further into the group gathered round the table. His eyes fell on the patient, his eyebrows disappearing into the grey haystack of his hair. "Fucking hell."

"That's what I thought." Becca murmured in reply, ignoring Markus' warning look and moving slowly round the table to stand near the head of it. Connor could finally see the android splayed out in front of him, he was still emitting a horrendous sound but it had dulled slightly allowing his auditory sensors to recover.

He bit back his own curse as he looked at the thing on the table, he barely resembled an android anymore. Naked and skinless, the torso had been caved in, leaving a mass of sparking wires and pulsing biocomponents exposed by the mangled plastic casing. The limbs had been treated in a similar fashion, beaten by something blunt and heavy. Two of them had already been disconnected leaving a stump on his right leg and right arm. The other two looked too badly damaged to be removed at all. The leg and arm bent at an awkward angle that would have made a human black out from the pain. Whatever had been used to attack the android had crushed the connecting joints of both limbs effectively welding them to the torso. Connor's eyes drifted up from the body to the head which was the only part of him moving. Although judging by the damage to it Connor wondered how that was even possible.

Two black voids were all that was left of the android's eyes. The visual sensors had been ripped from their housing in a very aggressive manner. Connor could just make out the faint indentations around the sockets highlighting where the attacker had used a weapon to claw them from the android's face. A good portion of the back of his head was also missing. This was where Lola's hands were currently placed, delving into the mass of wires and leaking thirium escaping the opening. Blue blood was also dripping from the empty eye sockets, running down his face in gruesome blue streaks. And all the while the android screamed his static filled death throes. Connor saw very little probability of them being anything else, seeing as the android's system was close to shut down.

Simon finished dusting off his pride and joined the throng staring at the doomed android. A small gasp of shock left his lips as he came to stand beside Connor, but no one was paying him any attention any more. They were all watching Lola who had chosen to ignore her new audience as she was once again moving her hands around inside the android's head.

The cries rose in volume as she resumed whatever she was doing, almost as if he could feel her. A small crease marred Connor's brow as he tried to make sense of the unusual reaction. Most androids when damaged displayed shock, fear, sometimes anger but never anything resembling pain. Lola grimaced, twisting her hands into an impossible position in an effort to stop the imminent shut down.

"Markus, can you hold his main sensory cable? I can't reconnect the thirium supply with that in the way." She asked, her voice strained. He moved his hand to oblige her but a smaller, slimmer hand stopped him.

"No. That will do nothing. You need to bypass the sensory cable all together." Lola gave Becca an incredulous look.

"Did you just tell me how to do my job? I don't know if you've noticed but I'm an android built to repair androids."

"Yes. And I'm a human who knows what she's talking about." They stared at each other for a moment. Lola assessing the woman opposite her with wariness. Finally her eyes slid to her leader but before she could appeal to him Becca spoke again. "Please…Lola wasn't it? He doesn't have long."

Lola let out a frustrated sigh and removed her hands from her patient. "I really don't see how you are going to help but I am clearly getting nowhere here. Be my guest." Becca gave the repair android a small smile and moved around the table to examined the inner workings of his head.

"Are you seriously going to let this human take over Markus?" Simon stared wide eyes at his leader, disbelief clear on his face.

"Lola wouldn't have called me down if it wasn't serious or she other options." Lola dipped her head in shame at his blunt comment but Markus was watching Becca with a calm expression, his green and blue eyes boring into her hands as they started deftly moving cables. "The least I can do for this android is let the human have a go. If he lives then we'll be grateful to her. If he dies…then we'll assess that when it happens."

Connor shifted uneasily at Markus' thinly veiled threat. He watched the woman now bent over the moaning android, her hazel eyes intense and focus on her task. His circuits knotted as he recognised the same the expression she had worn when fixing him. Markus's eyes shifted to him briefly.

The android let out a few sharp cries of pain then fell silent as Becca disconnected the main sensory cable. The silence pressed in on them and after the constant sound of static agony their absence was oddly disturbing.

"How did you know that would work?" Lola asked in a hushed tone.

"There was too much data feeding into the main processing unit. I disconnected it for now to stop him over heating." Becca was the only one unaffected, her hands still moving, a small crease appearing between her eyebrows. Lola leant in slightly to better see what she was doing.

"Why are you redirecting the thirium supply? I allocated the optimum amount to each biocomponent."

"Because despite that being the instructed way to recover a system that has encounter extreme stress it isn't going to save this android. He's suffered far too much damage to his torso and it's putting strain on his thirium pump getting it to the processor. I'm redirecting what's already in his head to deal with rebooting his system, while his pump focuses on the lower half."

The group of androids shared stunned looks at Becca's explanation, delivered in a professional clipped tone. Connor felt his eyebrows rising at the display of her abilities. He knew she was proficient at android's repairs but this went above and beyond the normal training of a Cyberlife engineer. Hank was nonplussed.

She continued on as if nothing had happened. The line on her brow deepening. Then with a heavy sigh she stepped back, her hands covered in blue blood. With one cerulean finger she held down the reboot button located just behind the android's ear. She waited a beat then pressed it again and watched his mangled face with concerned eyes.

If androids could breathe they would have held their breath as the familiar booting up chime played cheerily in the quiet room. There was a moment of nothing and Connor saw the signs of stress on Markus' face and a look of despair on Lola's. The damaged android let out a gasp and lurched upright, his damaged torso spurting thirium. Hank jumped at the sudden movement, cursing under his breath. The android collapsed back down onto the metal table with a crash and began to weep quietly.

"Where-where am I?" He asked, his voice now modulating normally and free of the static.

"It's okay. You're in Detroit." Markus' soothing voice made the frightened android relax. A tentative smile twisting his battered face.

"Praise RA9. I thought I was going to die. There were so many of them." He let out heavy sobs as he spoke, the thirium running from his empty eye sockets looking like tears.

"Thank you." Lola said, looking at Becca in awe. She didn't say anything, giving her a nod in reply whilst cleaning her hands on a rag she had found.

"Are you alright to stabilise him and find the parts he needs?" Markus asked. Lola nodded to him before busying herself with her patient.

Markus began to walk away from the table, gesturing for his entourage to follow. Simon and Connor obeyed almost immediately but Hank and Becca hung back. "He'll need extra thirium in his system before you undo what I did." She said in a quiet voice to Lola. The repair android gave her a curious look, her expression wary but not unkind.

"Who are you?" She asked.

"Nobody." Becca shot back quickly. Before Lola could ask her another question she turned tail and dashed after the retreating backs of Markus, Simon and Connor. Hank gave her quizzical look as she passed him but she ignored the old man wanting to put some distance between herself and the brutally damaged android she had just saved.

A sour taste entered her mouth as she left the repair centre. She had never liked violence, in fact she had always made a point of avoiding it at all costs. But the new world she had found herself in since the uprising in Detroit had pushed her closer and closer to the reality of segregation and the messy confrontation that came with it. In her time at the activist group she had done her best to persuade her human peers that meeting violence with violence was pointless and destructive but they had rarely listened. Henry in particular had an aggressive streak and Becca had made it her personal mission to pacify him. He had never understood and once or twice she had been faced with the horror of what humanity was capable of.

Henry liked to torture the androids he caught. If the others didn't destroy them outright then he would take them and try and pick them apart. He especially enjoyed taking their eyes so they couldn't see him coming.

A pair of intense brown eyes found her face as she caught up with the trio of androids. Connor looked at her, scanning her obviously flustered expression and attempting to deduce what was bothering her. Becca swallowed, forcing the bile back down her throat. Somehow, revealing she knew who the android's attackers were in her current company and situation didn't seem such a wise choice. But she wasn't sure how long she could hold out against that look he was giving her.

"Thank you Rebecca. You did a good thing back there, I'm very grateful." Markus's voice released her from Connor's hypnotic stare. He had led them back up the stairs to the main entranceway. He was looking at Becca with a sincere smile on his face. She shifted uneasily next to Connor, forcing herself to look the leader of Jericho in the eye.

"Does that mean we can stay?" Hank's rough voice caught up with them before he did. The Lieutenant appearing behind Becca and Connor. Markus lifted an eyebrow at the old man, and he gave a humourless snort in response. "Well, you said you were grateful." Hank continued, "now we would be mighty gratified if you could let us stay at least a few days. Who knows, we might even be useful again." He raised a scraggy eyebrow back at Markus, a wry smile curving his mouth.

The two men stared at each other, sizing the other up. "Fine." Markus finally said. Simon looked at him in outrage.

"But you said to North-"

"I am well aware of what I said to North Simon, but circumstances have changed slightly. And I wish to…assess the developments." He looked pointedly at Connor stood a hair's breadth from Becca. Simon muttered something under his breath that sounded a lot like 'going to regret that later' then fell silent when Markus looked at him sharply.

"Great. Where can we crash then 'cos I'm fucked?" Connor lifted his eyes to the expansive ceiling at his friend's crass language.

"We can set up some beds in one of the offices upstairs. I'd rather you stay near to me while you're here, like I said. I can't be certain how my people will react to you." He gave Becca an apologetic look. "You understand."

"Of course." She replied, her voice quiet but steady. Her endless bravery baffled Connor. Whatever she faced she seemed to take it in her stride.

"Excellent. Simon would you mind taking Hank and Rebecca up to my office. They can wait there while we sort their rooms. I want to talk to Connor a moment." Markus' friend opened his mouth to argue, then thought better of it and simply waved his hand at the two humans.

"Come this way." He murmured. Hank grinned at Connor as he followed the blonde android, slapping him heartily on the arm.

"See you in a bit kid." He barked causing several of the androids still working in City hall's entranceway to give him shocked and wary looks. Becca was slower to move away from him. It was understandable; he was the only point of familiarity for her and even then they had only known each other a few days. He felt a stab of pity for her as he gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry. I'll be up shortly." He said. Of course he wasn't sure of this fact, he was still trying to figure out what Markus would want to talk to him alone about, but the lie seemed to dissipate the tension in Becca's eyes and that made it worth it.

Without another word she followed meekly behind Hank and a very agitated Simon as they made their way back up the sweeping staircase. The residual shadow of her black eye was still there and it reminded Connor how much she had been through in the past 24 hours. She must be exhausted.

Markus' penetrating stare brought his attention back to his friend and leader. The diplomatic calm he had been displaying since they got here was gone, the hard eyed look of a revolutionary general left in its place. "Who is she Connor?"

His question was abrupt; Connor felt his circuits crackle with nervous energy. "She is a member of the activist group you sent me to negotiate with." He replied carefully. Markus' look darkened.

"Don't try and be clever. You know more than that and I am ordering you to tell me what it is." Connor pressed his mouth into a thin line. He didn't want to leave Becca vulnerable but he liked disappointing Markus less. Especially when he had been given a mission.

"She was an engineer…for Cyberlife."

"And?" Connor cocked his head to one side.

"That is unfortunately all I have learnt about her in my short time-"

"What about her arm?"

Connor blanched. Markus gave his best Lieutenant a fierce look. "Connor, I scanned her the moment she came through the door. Her left arm registered as belonging to a defunct PM700 model." He gave him a questioning look. Connor felt the nervous energy in his circuits increase, his fingers twitched, eager to find something to do.

"She lost her arm in some sort of attack. She designed the arm to act like a normal limb, it's quite ingenious." His voice turned from the usual clipped mechanical way he delivered reports to a soft reverent tone. Markus' expression shifted from stern to worried.

"And what do you think?" He asked provoking another confused look from Connor. He let out an exasperated sigh. "About her?"

The RK800 thought about the question for a moment. His processor running through everything he knew about Becca. "Well…she is an extremely intelligent, intriguing individual who is somehow linked to these unusual events-"

"Yes, but what do _you_ think about her?" Markus' tone was hard but his eyes were full of concern for his odd friend. Connor's mouth snapped shut as he reassessed the question. His fingers twitched manically by his side as he tried to look deeper into the facts, frantically searching for what his leader wanted.

"I…I don't know." Markus let out a snort of derision.

"You really are frustrating Connor. I saw the way you were looking at her when she was saving that android back there. You may not have a clear grasp on your emotions but I do, and I'm not a fool." He eyed his friend sadly. "Be careful. She is a complicated person and this is a complicated time. I'd think about where your priorities lie my friend." With one last warning glance he turned and left Connor stood in the entranceway.

He blinked in bewilderment at Markus' receding back. His fingers gave another twitch as the nervous energy ricocheted around inside of him. He would have to analyse all that had happened between himself and Becca and talking to Hank was more of a necessity now. The grumpy Lieutenant could always seem to know what Connor was feeling. But first things first he would find his coin before he imploded with all these confusing emotions.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Chapter 13, unlucky for some. I enjoyed writing this chapter, sometimes they can be a bit of a slog but this one came fairly easily. Sorry for the slight delay though, got a bit distracted playing Red Dead this weekend. As you do. ;) Anyway, read, review and most importantly...enjoy! :)**

Chapter 13

Detective Gavin Reed marched down the aisle of desks in their temporary precinct. It was a complete shit hole in his opinion, an insult to the department that could be stacked on top of all the other insults they had endure since being forced to evacuate Detroit six months ago. He cast venomous glances at his colleagues as he passed them, most averted their eyes, choosing to stay out of the Detective's way when he was in this mood. Chris Miller however, frowned at him as he stomped by, a concerned look on his face.

"What's up Gavin?" He asked. Gavin paused on his war path to fix the innocent looking Officer with a withering stare.

"What's up Miller? I'll tell you what's up."

"Oh boy." One of Chris' neighbours sank down in her seat as Gavin locked onto his new target.

"I'm up to my eyes investigating this stupid wild goose chase drunken asshole Anderson sent us on. On top of that my nose is still not setting straight after that bitch clocked me with that freak arm of hers. And now I've got the Captain crawling up my ass and dragging me into his office when I've got so much work I could choke on it." He slammed his hands down on Chris' desk causing the Officer to lean backwards in an effort to distance himself from the furious Detective.

"Oh…right." He responded lamely causing Gavin to clench his jaw.

"Reed! Stop dicking around and get in here!" The Captain's booming voice sent a hush through the precinct. Suddenly all eyes were on the unpopular, volatile Detective. With a growl he pushed off from Officer Miller's desk and stamped his way to the small, thin walled office the Captain now called home. He was so angry about being dragged into this impromptu meeting with his boss that he didn't noticed the other figure stood quietly in the corner until he had shut the door and turned around, mouth open ready to sling a string of complaints at Captain Fowler.

It snapped shut with a loud clack as his eyes fell on the tall, intimidating figure lurking in the corner of the room. The pristine white jacket standing out against its dark trousers, the blue triangle denoting it as an android glowing in the badly lit office. But it was the cold blue eyes fixed on Gavin's face that made the usually hot headed Detective shiver as his blood ran cold.

The likeness was uncanny, it was almost as if he was looking at his least favourite plastic appliance. The same high cheekbones, the same smattering of freckles on his face, the same hair arranged in that dip shit style Gavin hated. But it definitely wasn't that self-righteous asshole, he could just tell from the way it was looking at him. Coupled with the bold white lettering claiming this was an RK900 model, this android couldn't have been farther from Hank's plastic pet if it tried.

"The fuck is this Fowler?" Gavin finally unfroze and shot at his boss, jerking a thumb at the still silently staring android.

"That's _Captain_ Fowler to you. And this is your new partner." Gavin stared in wide eyed disbelief at him.

"You have _got_ to be shitting me?" He exclaimed. The Captain pinched the bridge of his nose, his brow creasing as if he suddenly had an intense headache.

"I am not shitting you Reed. I've tried to hold this off for a long time but the higher ups have finally won. They think we would all benefit from having…him around so there you are. You're the lucky owner of the latest Detective model hot off the Cyberlife production belt."

Gavin whirled around to glare at the stoic looking android, its hard blue eyes boring into his face, unblinking. "And what happens when this one goes loco like all the others holed up in our city?" The RK900 didn't react at all to the conversation going on in the room, even though it was blatantly pointed towards it. It simply continued to stare at its new owner, its mouth set in a grim line.

"Cyberlife have assured me that this model is completely virus free and is more likely to jump off a cliff than go deviant." Gavin turned to give his boss an incredulous look. Although the thought of any android that looked like Connor jumping off a cliff was almost enough to make him laugh.

"And you believed that pile of horseshit _Captain_?" Fowler pursed his lips at the Detective's colourful use of language.

"Following orders is not your forte Reed, but as Captain I have a precinct to think about. Refusing this one would have resulted in our immediate shut down and restructuring." Gavin ground his teeth together and threw a narrow eyed look at the android in the corner. There was a heavy pause as he thought about his next move.

"Fine." He spat out, earning a relieved sigh from his boss. Despite what most people thought Gavin did occasionally know when to pick his battles. This appeared to be one of those times. Fowler nodded approvingly as Gavin walked towards his desk. The relieved look dimmed as the Detective leant towards him, a fierce glint in his eye.

"Can I just inquire _Captain,_ how exactly am I supposed to carry out my current investigation when I have that thing watching my every move? It's been three weeks now and I've got nothing but loose ends and red herrings." He spoke in a low hiss, his head inches from Fowler's ear. Even so the RK900 cocked its head, its eyes narrowing as it listened in on the men's conversation.

"I'm afraid you are going to have to figure that one out for yourself." Fowler replied. His gaze fixed on the android behind Reed now. "You're a smart man. Now go play nice." He shot in a louder tone.

Gavin pulled back, a grimace plastered on face. Without another word he stormed out of the office in a similar fashion as he had entered. After a brief pause the unnervingly quiet android strode elegantly after him, closing the door with a soft click. Jeffrey Fowler shivered slightly. That thing may look like the amiable, positive Connor they had all come to know but he certainly didn't act the same.

"So, what do I call you? You got some goofy name like that other job stealing super Detective?" Gavin didn't bother to look back at the android, he knew from experience the thing was probably following him. He had seen enough of Hank stomping around the office, a face like thunder, as the plastic dickhead trailed after him like a lost duckling.

"My official title is RK900 model number #313 248 417 – 46. I have not been given a more succinct label yet. Usually that responsibility falls to my official owner, and as we have only just met, you have not had chance to assign me one."

Gavin screeched to a halt and whirled round to face the android. It spoke like that annoying asshole, with its polite, technical babble but the tone of its voice was all wrong. Connor had always sounded like he was so darn happy to see you. His voice always taking on that obnoxious, innocent tone that Gavin despised so much. This one however; the words were polite and civil enough, but there was a hard note in its voice, a clipped mechanical way of speaking that made the Detective think this thing would sooner throttle him than shake his hand.

Much to his chagrin he found himself taking a step back from it. The voice, coupled with the android's noticeable height difference and cold stare gave it an intimidating presence. He looked around and realised they were standing in a very deserted corridor. Thank god no one had seen him back off so easily and at such a commonplace response. The silence pressed in on the pair until Gavin cleared his throat awkwardly. "Well, okay then. How 'bout I just call you Dickhead and be done with it."

It was a show of bravado that even Gavin didn't believe, but being an asshole was his default defence, especially when he was unnerved. The android tilted its head to one side in a very Connor-esque fashion, but its icy eyes narrowed into a stern expression.

"Would you like me to register the name 'Dickhead'?" Gavin almost choked in surprise at the nonchalant way in which it said it.

"Wha-no…no don't, I was just…It was just an expres- You know what, fucking forget it. Just….stay out of my way got it?" He growled in exasperation as the yet unnamed RK900 straightened its head and fixed Gavin with a look that suggested he knew exactly what the Detective was up to, despite it playing dumb.

Gavin glowered, folding his arms tightly around himself, and span on his heel. He headed off towards the evidence store his mood darkening with every click of his new shadows perfectly shined shoes behind him. How the fuck was he supposed to investigate Cyberlife and these crazy Chosen nut jobs with a Cyberlife controlled android watching his every move?

The new problem was simply another to add to all the other problems piling up in front of him. Why couldn't these damn androids just leave him alone?

* * *

Becca watched in fascination as Connor rolled the quarter across his knuckles for the umpteenth time. It was amazing how effortless he made it look; as if the coin were floating on air above his fingers. He noticed her looking and cast a sideways glance at her, his warm brown eyes questioning. Becca felt the heat rise in her cheeks and quickly ducked her head, choosing to focus on the weave of her jeans and picking at a troublesome thread as Markus continued to speak in the crowded room.

"Our intel suggests there is a Cyberlife plant on the outskirts of Detroit, somewhere near Flint that is showing signs of activity."

Becca's head jerked up at the mention of Cyberlife, her awkward moment with Connor forgotten. She was sat on the edge of the group gathered round the Jericho leader. The usual suspects were there; North, Simon, Josh and Connor. Along with them there was a few of Markus' spies who he had sent out to see what they could find out about the Chosen. There was also Hank who was stood on the opposite side of the room, his eyes flashing between the various occupants taking in everything. She had become more and more attached to the rough edged old man. He stuck with Connor most of the time, and seeing as the android was pretty reluctant to leave her alone, that meant Hank had been spending a lot of time with her.

Lola was there too, stood near Markus' elbow. She had been invited to the meeting due to the amount of refugees suddenly flooding into Detroit. Markus thought something was building outside his sanctuary's limits, and Becca agreed with him. They had been in the city for a little over three weeks now. Markus' original threat that there arrangements were only temporary had been forgotten the minute more injured androids had started to arrive. Lola had insisted Becca help her in the repair centre and she was more than happy to lend a hand if it meant repenting for the damage her former group were obviously inflicting on deviants.

Markus had decided to send spies out about a week after they had arrived, and only now had some of them returned with news. Becca wondered with a pang where the other seven he had sent had disappeared to.

"What's unusual about that exactly?" North asked. Her now permanent scowl deepening as she assessed her partner.

"The unusual thing is that the plant has been abandoned for at least a year. Or that's what the records say." Markus replied smoothly, ignoring his second in command's angsty mood.

"That sounds promising. Did your minions happen to notice what kind of activity was occurring there?" Hank's gruff interjection earnt a few sour looks. If North could have vaporised him on sight she would have. The weathered Lieutenant simply smiled at the hostile eyes in that lopsided way which meant he didn't give a shit what people thought of him. Becca wished she was as blasé as he was. She had been mostly keeping her head down since getting here, trying to be a help rather than a burden. Hank on the other hand strode around City hall as if he owned the place and everyone wanted him there. She had seen Connor defuse a few heated encounters with some of Detroit's new residents and the brash Lieutenant.

"Unfortunately no Hank. It appears the plant is quite heavily guarded, which is another reason for us to look into it, don't you think?"

"Absolutely." Hank grinned at Markus. The two of them had hit it off surprising well since the first meeting. Hank appreciated Markus' calm attitude to everything and Markus seemed to admired the old man's frank way of saying things.

"We will begin plans to infiltrate the plant and find out what exactly Cyberlife are up to." Markus announced. Hank, Connor and Lola seemed unperturbed by this news but there were a few raised eyebrows.

"Is that really a wise decision?" Simon asked, scanning the faces around the room. Becca noticed he didn't look at her or Hank. "Provoking Cyberlife at a time like this could endanger all we've worked for."

Markus nodded sagely. "True, you have a point. But you're assuming they will find out, and also forgetting the risks we took to get us here in the first place." Simon cast an unsure look at Josh and North.

"I still don't see why we're going through all this trouble to help a bunch of humans." North muttered, casting a deadly glance towards Becca.

"Not all humans are our enemies North. Besides with the amount of androids that have been coming to Detroit injured lately, I have a feeling this is all connected somehow. Do you agree Connor?"

The android stood on the other side of Markus straightened up. The coin stilling in his hand. He stared at the occupants of the room for a moment. Now that Becca had spent more time with him she knew he was thinking of the response that would best serve their purpose. She found a strange sort of comfort in the quietness of the android, and his polite, measured way of speaking.

"Judging by the evidence I have gathered so far, I believe the events taking place around Detroit are linked to the Chosen and their connection with Cyberlife." There was a heavy pause as everyone took in his words. Since coming here it had become painfully obvious just how much Connor differed from his fellow deviants. The way he spoke and acted was so much closer to a machine than the emotional outbursts the other members of Jericho displayed. Becca had found herself watching him more and more, intrigued by the odd person she had been thrown together with.

"Thank you." Markus responded. "We will do everything we can to ensure this plan comes off with minimal risk. I know some of you are concerned but we cannot stand by and do nothing just because we feel safe in this home we have made. There are others out there that need our help, human as well as android." North made a sound of disgust at this last point, but it was clear from Markus' tone that the meeting was over. There were murmurs of dissent and agreement as the gathering of androids and two humans drifted apart and began to leave Markus' office in small groups.

Connor hung back with his leader and Simon, their heads bent as they talked. Becca found herself gravitating towards Lola and Hank. The number of people in Detroit willing to tolerate her presence were slim but she didn't mind. She had never been much of a social person.

"I'm going to need a hand with some of the new arrivals downstairs when you've got a moment." Lola said, fixing Becca with those sharp green eyes of hers. She cast a look over her shoulder at Connor behind them, he looked up at her and gave a small smile. Her stomach did an odd hop inside her and she quickly turned back to face the repair android, her cheeks flushing again.

"Sure. I'll be down in a moment." She spoke in a rush. Lola gave her a funny look before speeding off down the corridor towards the basement. Hank was also looking at Becca with a strange lopsided grin. He had been doing this a lot lately. Every time he caught her staring at Connor or the occasional awkward moments they shared she would see that annoying half smile, an almost proud look in the Lieutenant's eye. It had started to bug her lately and she kept meaning to ask him what it was about, but somehow the answer scared her.

"What?" She shot at him now. He gave a shrug, the smirk widening.

"Nothing." He responded in his gruff tone. Somehow he took on the appearance of a cheeky school boy despite the sheer size of him. She was just about to retort with something truly biting and witty to shut him up, when another smoother voice interrupted them.

"Are you planning to help at the repair centre again today Rebecca?" She jumped, flashing a glance to her other side where Connor was now keeping pace with her perfectly.

"Ummm, y-yes." She stammered, inexplicably feeling like she had been caught red handed by the composed android. She gritted her teeth as she heard Hank snort on her other side. Connor cast a confused look between the pair of them, his brow furrowing slightly causing a small worry line to appear between those big brown eyes of his.

"My apologies, am I interrupting something?" He asked, his tone light. Becca mentally cursed herself and cleared her throat.

"No, you're not. Why do you ask?"

"Could I possibly have a word with you before you go there….in private?" Now it was Becca's turn to look confused.

"Of course." She said. Connor gave her a small smile then nodded at Hank.

"I'll see you in a bit Hank."

"Sure thing kid. Don't wait up." Becca was still trying to work out what the android wanted to say that couldn't be said in front of his friend, and so nearly missed the massive grin and lewd wink Hank threw at them as they turned off towards the stairs.

"What is his problem?" She muttered under her breath as Connor led her up the steps on the way to god knew where. He flicked a curious glance at her but didn't attempt to answer her rhetorical question. They both lapsed into a comfortable silence as they continued their ascent.

Becca tried to calm her annoyingly erratic emotions by focusing on Connor's back and the familiar worn leather jacket she was so used to seeing him in now. Her mind however had other ideas, choosing that moment to wander back to the forest all those weeks ago when she had collapsed exhausted under a tree and woken up to find that jacket draped over her like a blanket. It had smelled strongly of Connor, a heady mix of fresh lemon soap and the smell of a new book just opened. She had remembered how safe she felt surrounded by that pleasant scent.

There was still so much she didn't know about the android in front of her and yet his company made her feel secure and grounded in this place. Whenever she was anxious or having a bad day it was Connor's wide chocolate brown eyes and uncertain smile that made her feel better. Of course it was, he had been made to integrate with humans. Cyberlife had designed him to be as appealing as possible; lovely smell and all. She just wish she could remember that and control all these ill-timed hormonal reactions every time he looked at her or talked to her. Not least to shut up Hank and his insistent teasing, at least that what she told herself. It was just a silly infatuation triggered by stressful events, nothing more.

They emerged through a fire door onto the roof of City hall. Becca blinked in the sudden sunlight and wrapped her bare forearms around her to combat the chill wind. She wished she had brought her jacket with her now. The tall clock tower that overlooked Detroit rose up beside them. They were on a flat viewing platform on the roof below it, it wasn't nearly as high up but the view was still good. Connor stopped by the railing, looking down on the street below. They both stared out at the city for a moment, each lost in their own thoughts.

Detroit spread out around them, the building's windows winking in the afternoon early Summer sun. There was the sound of buses and chatter from below, but the city was far quieter than it had been. Largely due to the reduced population but also down to the lack of humans. Becca had never really noticed how quiet androids were until living here; humans made a lot of unnecessary noise. The sound of shouting and sirens, building work and their general abrasive nature had been expelled. Now it was peaceful and up here she felt even more detached and out of place than when she was walking warily around down there.

Markus didn't like her or Hank leaving City hall, but when they needed five minutes of fresh air Connor, Josh or Simon always accompanied them. Still, as much as they stopped any potential trouble their presence might stir up, it didn't stop the stares. Some of them hostile, some of them curious, all of them unwelcoming. Becca had only gone outside a few times with Connor. Now she preferred the safe walls of the government building and the steady work Lola gave her in the repair centre.

"Markus thinks we should be ready to infiltrate that plant in a fortnight." Connor's voice dragged Becca out of her uneasy thoughts. She turned to look at his profile as he continued. "He also said you can stay here until after it happens. Reduce the risk to you if anything goes wrong."

Becca's stomach squeezed uncomfortably at the mention of something going wrong. As his most efficient and infamous Lieutenant, Connor was more than likely going to be involved in Markus' mission. She tried to swallow her worry for his wellbeing.

"Any idea what I'll be doing?" He finally turned his head to look at her. That worry line prominent on his forehead.

"You will be here. Helping Lola as usual." His tone was matter of fact but Becca blinked in surprise, recoiling as if he had just slapped her.

"I'm not coming with you?" Becca felt her unease turning into a roiling anger as his words sank in.

"No. It's far too-"

"If you finish that sentence with the word 'dangerous' I'm going to punch you." As if to highlight her threat her android hand clenched into a tight fist by her side. Connor's eyes flicked to it briefly, unconcerned.

"What would you prefer I ended it with then? Perilous? Treacherous? Risky? I have over fifty optional synonyms or I could say it in another language?" His voice was calm but there was an edge of ice to it that made the hairs on Becca's neck stand to attention. Her anger had already taken root however, so there was no stopping the frustrated tenor in her voice.

"Is this why you brought me up here? You knew I'd cause a scene." He cocked his head to one side, his mouth pressed into a firm line. The anger flared inside her. "I told you I'm not some damsel in distress. This mess is as much my problem as it is all of yours, so I think I should be allowed to assist when you all risk your lives. And besides I've survived enough shit in my life without your protection, so I don't think I'll start now thank you very much." She had taken an involuntary step forwards during her outburst and now found herself nose to chin with the android.

"I am aware of that fact." He replied smoothly. His head tilting slightly to better see her. His eyes more of a hard bronze than their usual friendly brown.

"So let me help." Becca spat out, determined not to back down. Connor assessed her for a moment, his expression unreadable. Becca was taking in deep breathes trying to control her rage but it only aided in fogging her mind more when she took in a lungful of his scent. She blinked up at him, trying to clear her senses but his proximity was making that hard.

"Markus agreed with me that you should stay behind. Due to your involvement with Cyberlife and unwillingness to tell us more about yourself, it would be unwise to trust you in that kind of environment." Something inside Becca snapped and she thrust her android finger into his immoveable chest.

"So you don't trust me? Is that it? There are things about my past that even I don't want to remember, so why would I tell any of you?" Connor didn't move away from her aggressive jabs.

"Do you mean your husband being murdered by androids?" Her finger froze, pressing into his shirt as she glared up at him.

"How do you know that?" She said, her voice artic. Her anger condensing into a solid pulsing mass somewhere in her chest the moment he had mentioned her deceased husband. It tugged painfully at her heart as she looked up at his infuriatingly calm face.

"Hank told me." His voice matched his expression. Emotionless.

A surge of betrayal shot through her. How could he? They had made an agreement. It was not his information to give. Tears began to sting the corner of her eyes as she let her head droop. Somehow the memory of Stephen made it impossible to look the android in the eye.

"He shouldn't have told you?" She managed to say through angry gasps.

"He thought I should know seeing as you seem to be the centre pin for everything that has happened and you wouldn't tell me yourself." She felt her lips lifting up into a snarl as his monotone voice hit a nerve somewhere near her grief stricken heart.

"Did you ever think there was a reason why I didn't want to tell you? And what exactly does my husband's death have anything to fucking do with me not coming with you?!" Her voice rose gradually until she was practically screaming at the top of her lungs. When his stoic face didn't change she let out an enraged cry, shoving him with both her hands with all her strength. She couldn't stand his sudden callousness. It was as if he was trying to hurt her. All her silly feelings for him evaporated and all she wanted to do was make him regret what he had said.

Connor staggered back slightly from the unexpected assault. It wasn't enough to topple him, just unbalance. But almost as a reflex he reached out with one hand and grabbed the nearest thing to him for support. That thing was Becca's android arm still outstretched from pushing against him.

Everything happened in a blink of an eye but also in acute slow motion. Amidst the emotional storm now raging around them Becca's arm instinctually retracted its synthetic skin as Connor's hand gripped it firmly. His responded in kind, assuming a transfer of data was about to occur, his skin peeling back to reveal the bone white casing underneath. There was a brief flash of blue as the connection was made and his vision was taken over by a series of rapidly flickering images.

They were grainy and out of focus. Nothing like the static filled memories of the android's he had probed in the past. These weren't the simple accounts of recorded events, these were laced with emotions, the details eroded by time. A round faced, smiling man stared lovingly at him. He had a mop of curly dark hair and a pair of thick rimmed glasses perched on his nose. Behind them were deep brown eyes filled with a gentle warmth as they looked at him. Alarmingly, Connor felt a great swell of affection as he looked at the man. A buoyancy that reminded him of when he sometimes watched Becca when she was hard at work fixing something.

Before he could process the emotion or identify the man, he had disappeared, but not for long. Through the flickering grain he appeared once more, stood with his arms folded assessing a wonky shelf fixed to the wall of a cosy looking living room.

"What do you think?" He asked, his voice distorted like the image but still distinctly jolly and kind.

"I think it sucks." Connor heard Becca's voice tinged with humour as if he had spoken. Mirth bubbled up in the place of affection as he stared at the awfully uneven shelf. Then the scene was gone and was replaced with a nightmare. The same living room, the shelf gone. In its place, a wide jagged hole as if something had blown its way into the house. Furniture and procession lay around his feet, broken and covered in dark red, viscous spatters of blood. He was kneeling on the floor, a high keening sound drawing his attention away from the destruction. Something was on fire, he could smell the smoke and the sound increased in volume. Where was it coming from?

Connor looked down and saw a corpse next to him. The face only just recognisable as half of it was missing. A bloody mangled mess left in its place. But the round, dimpled cheeks were the same and the curly hair, and those big brown eyes, only now they were glassy and unseeing. The keening sound grew louder, until it was a scream. Connor looked around for the source of distress but then realised it was him who was screaming. Or more accurately, Becca. He lifted his hands which were covered in scarlet blood, not the cobalt blue of thirium, but found only one obeyed his command. Looking down he saw a gory red stump where his left arm should be. The wound jagged and uneven from the force of the explosion that had caused it. He had been without an arm before, when one malfunctioned and had to be replaced. But there was a certain unnerving feeling of permanency about this lost limb.

A tidal wave of emotion crashed through his circuits. Misery, loss, anger, desperation, all tied up with a sharp, pointed feeling as if his body was on fire, as if someone was clawing out his thirium pump and he could feel it. What was that? He tried to twist away from it but Becca's memories held him in place. He wanted to get away from this sensation of burning and ripping but he couldn't, it was inside him, consuming him. Just as the feeling became too much for his processor he found a name for it. Pain.

Becca saw the same display, the images clearer for her because she had lived them. Connor was stood rigid as a board in front of her, his eyes far away and unseeing as he processed the information now flooding through his circuits. Those brown eyes. So like Stephen's.

With a jerk she pulled her hand free. Connor gasped as if he had been holding his breath, his eyes flashing around wildly until he fixed on her.

"What the fuck-what…what did you just do?" Becca stammered. Her rage now mixed with sorrow and grief, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment that Connor had just shared those private memories with her.

"Those…they were your memories." Connor's voice was soft, but she could see he was struggling to compose himself.

"That's impossible…you can't…I'm not an android. You can't probe me!" She shouted at him. The android stared wide eyed at her, his chest rising and falling heavily as he tried to cool his shocked system.

"I saw him. You were very close to him. It hurt when you lost him." His voice was no longer cold and detached. It was filled with sadness as he looked at her. But she wasn't ready to face this, least of all with him. She felt violated and confused. The anger and grief making it hard to think straight, and most of all she wanted to get away from those eyes that now she had seen them again reminded her so much of her dead husband.

"They weren't for you to see. Just…leave me alone." She managed to hiss at the stunned looking android before she turned and fled back into City hall.

Connor watched her go. His system still trying to recover from the overload it had just experienced. Shakily he lifted a hand to his cheek and wondered ideally why it came away wet. After a minute his inner display reported everything as normal but he still didn't feel it. He stood out on the roof, enable to move. Finally he murmured two words to the empty space in front of him.

"I'm sorry."


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Hello, so I have another confession to make. I am currently writing two stories at once; this one (obviously) and an original story I am doing for NaNoWriMo. So please be patient if these chapters aren't coming out as fast as you'd like. I am committed to finishing this but I've been wanting to write this original story for ages. I fully intend to post that story on Wattpad once I am done, so I'll let you know when that happens if you're curious. And I'd just like to finish this slightly longer author's note by saying you are all amazing, every one of you. It baffles and humbles me that anyone at all wants to read my weird internal imaginings, but God bless you, you are. So thanks, and thanks for sticking with me. Without further ado I'll leave you to it, please read, review and enjoy! :)**

Chapter 14

"God damn it. Another crappy lead. I honestly don't know why I am doing this to myself."

"It is your job Detective. Giving up now would only be a waste of government time and resources. Besides, we haven't spoken to the suspect yet, they might yield promising results."

Gavin glared at his unwanted partner, an open case file on his lap. He was parked outside a rundown house, it looked like it hadn't been looked after for a long time. The screen door was hanging on its hinges and the wooden slats were covered in rot and graffiti. The neighbourhood was in a similar state to the house. Rubbish lined the street and there were several dishevelled and quite obviously homeless people wandering around.

"That's easy for you to say." Gavin grumbled as he scanned the unsavoury street outside the windshield of his police issue electric car. A few of the downtrodden occupants were casting curious looks at the vehicle. He turned his attention to the house again. He had been given the address by one of his informants who claimed they saw a group of injured men dragging a damaged android into the house. It was a tentative lead, but a lead none the less.

Gavin scanned the graffiti on the depleted walls. Large, aggressive letters blared out _No Androids,_ and _Human rights for humans._ A heavy sense of dread settled in the Detective's stomach as he glanced at his very conspicuous partner. As a fully controlled android it was required to wear its Cyberlife issue uniform. Not ideal in a place like this.

"Maybe you should stay here." Gavin said, warily eyeing the machine next to him. It turned its icy gaze towards him, sending a shiver up his spine.

"Out of the question Detective. I am assigned to assist in your cases, so I am obliged to accompany you in all lines of your work." He still wasn't used to the way it spoke. Detached and cold. It almost made him miss this android's dorky predecessor.

"Fine. Just…try and keep a low profile. I don't think you'll be very popular around here." He slid the car door open and stepped out. The street in this small back water town somewhere outside of Detroit had an unpleasant atmosphere. It only got worse as the RK900 followed him out of the car and moved to stand by him. Suddenly Gavin felt eyes boring into him from every side as he walked towards the garbage filled front garden of the house.

"Who is the lead?" The android asked in a mechanical tone. Gavin had spent as little time with it as he could sensibly manage and he point blank refused to give it a name. Unlike a lot of his colleagues, and especially that sad sack Lieutenant, he still only saw the androids as machines. He understood why the sappier people would feel empathy towards them; they looked like humans after all. Perfect, stronger, creepier humans but recognisable, sure. But they were computers at the end of the day. Filled with wires and switchboards, not blood and bone, it was a fact and you couldn't argue with those.

"A fella called Henry Cavendish. Just need to ask him about the android he was seen dragging into here. Pretty standard stuff." He spoke with a nonchalant air. There was a weighted pause somewhere near his right shoulder, then a frosty voice responded.

"You know you're going to have to tell me the details of this case at some point Detective. I am your partner after all." Another shiver ran up Gavin's spine. It had a way of making even the most mundane phrases sound like a threat. He swallowed his unease and felt the familiar prickle of his temper as he reached the swinging screen door.

"You're _not_ my partner. You're just a walking pocket calculator. Useful for facts and figures but nothing else." He spat the words out with venom but there was a definite note of fear in his voice. He hated himself for it and glowered at the screen door as he yanked it aside and hammered on the rotten wood behind. The android didn't respond but he could feel its artic gaze on the back of his neck.

"Open up, Detroit police!" He yelled. There was silence on the other side. Gavin growled under his breath and thumped the door again. The force of his blows made flakes of old paint and softened wood rain down on them in a flurry. "I said open the up!" He tried again. Still nothing.

"God damn, maybe they skipped town already." He muttered beginning to turn away. His eyes landed on a gathering of homeless people now blocking their exit, all staring up at him and his very obviously android partner, their eyes flashing with hostility.

"May I try?" The object of their new audience's enmity asked with mild annoyance. Gavin glared at the gaggle of poorly dressed, mal-nourished people, reaching for his gun slowly. As much as he didn't want to get hurt protecting this plastic monstrosity, it would still come out of his pay check if anything happened to it. The crowd shifted as one, the air around them instantly becoming charged. His hand inched closer to his gun, his eyes locked on the angry mob.

"Detective?" The android queried again, his tone impatient.

"Yeah sure, go ahead." Gavin shot back, his attention completely taken up with the escalating situation behind them. The RK900 flicked a disinterested glance towards the volatile humans then lifted its foot casually and slammed it into the door. There was a loud crash as the weakened wood gave way beneath the androids polished shoe. Splinters flew through the air along with a cloud of dust as the remnants clattered to the floor inside the house.

"What the fuck?!" Gavin exclaimed whirling round to assess the newest development to this dicey situation.

"I have gained entry Detective. Is that not what you were trying to achieve?" It answered coolly, lifting an eyebrow.

"Not like that you dip shit." Gavin said thrusting his hands into the air. Before he could register fully what his crazy robotic partner had done there was an angry shout from inside the house, and a shadowy figure marched towards them.

"What do you think you're doing you useless tin can!" The shadow materialised revealing a broad shoulder man. His hard chin was covered in rough stubble and his shoulder length hair was tangled in a messy ponytail. He looked the RK900 up and down as he came to a halt inches from it. Despite his obvious height he still had to tilt his head back slightly to stare it in the eye.

"Detroit police, we have some question for you." Gavin smoothly interjected holding up his badge. The angry occupant glanced at it briefly before continuing to square up to the android.

"You got a warrant?" The man asked in a deadly voice.

"We don't need one. The door was rotten and broke when we knocked." The RK900 replied fluidly without hesitation. Gavin's eyes widened at the blatant lie, but he wasn't about to correct it stuck between an angry mob and an even angrier man.

"Yeah, it just disintegrated beneath our hands when we were knocking. You need to look after this place." He said. The man glared at him, his large arms bulging underneath his dirty shirt as he folded them across his chest.

"What do you want?" He asked. Gavin cast a look over his shoulder at the gang of people still watching the show play out on the porch. He felt a rush of frustration at his partner's lack of interest in all the hostile stares it was receiving. If anything it looked bored.

"Just want to ask a few questions about a missing android. Can we go inside?" He gestured to the crowd behind him. "Don't really want to discuss personal details with all these curious ears do 'ya?" The man grounded his teeth together looking over their shoulders as if seeing the crowd of homeless gawkers for the first time.

"Fine. But watch yourselves. Especially you." He spat, jabbing a finger at the RK900. The android simply stared at the man's finger, a look on his face that suggested it would very much like to snap the appendage off. The man stalked off into the dank, dark house and the Detective and android followed behind.

"You lied to him." Gavin murmured. A pair of ice blue eyes shone in the gloom as they turned towards him.

"It seemed necessary to proceed." A monotone response came back at him. He huffed and focused on the man who was now stood in a mouldy looking kitchen that Gavin wouldn't eat in if you had paid him.

"What you want to ask? And make it quick, I don't like strangers." The man's sharp eyes settled again on the RK900. The android narrowed his eyes.

"Are you Henry Cavendish?" Gavin asked, hoping to divert the man's obvious resentment towards his partner. Although he didn't blame him.

"I might be."

"I'm gonna' take that as a yes." Gavin replied sourly, taking out a data pad.

"What have I done exactly?" Henry had turned his heated attention to the Detective now.

"There were reports of a stolen android being brought into this address a few nights ago." Gavin kept his gaze on the pad in his hand as he spoke. It wasn't a lie as such, more of a redirected truth. An android had been seen getting dragged into the house, but it hadn't been reported missing. After listening to his informant Gavin was sure it had been a deviant and that the men had taken it from a group of other deviants heading for Detroit.

"No androids here, except the one you've brought in." Henry said, his tone deadly. Gavin sighed, pinching the bridge of his crooked nose.

"As much as I would love to trust your word Mr Cavendish I would still like to have a look around."

"Would you now?" Henry took a two steps towards Gavin, his muscles flexing under his tattered shirt. "And I would like you to leave now if you've no more questions."

The Detective narrowed his eyes at the unpleasant man. He didn't like the atmosphere here at all. Not that he had a problem with people who took a disliking to androids but there was something about this guy that rankled Gavin. There was no sign of anyone else and the whole place felt like it hadn't been lived in for months. His gut told him there was a whole gang of them hiding somewhere in the house, most likely along with the android Henry claimed wasn't here.

"Yeah, well unfortunately for you we don't always get what we want in life." Gavin said with a sneer. He flicked a glance towards the RK900 which had been silently watching the exchange, probably recording it all as well for later use he thought bitterly. "You wanna help? Keep an eye on this low life while I have a look around."

The android nodded. "Of course Detective." He replied in a polite voice, but his eyes stabbed at Gavin's flesh making him turn hastily away. It was an ingenious plan if he said so himself, not only would he be able to keep the nosy hunk of junk out of the real investigation he was conducting, but robo-thug would keep that scruffy arsehole from obstructing him while he snooped around.

"Like hell you will." Henry growled in outrage, taking another step towards him. A strong arm suddenly intersected them, holding back the aggressive man. He glowered at the android now staring forebodingly down at him. "Get your filthy plastic hand off me." He hissed but the RK900 didn't flinch. Instead it balled its hand into a fist, grabbing Henry's shirt firmly and lifted him into the air. His face turned puce but Gavin was unsure if it was from rage or lack of oxygen, as he was dangling by the neck from his shirt collar.

"Well, seeing as you're otherwise engage Mr Cavendish I'll just take a quick look around." The Detective flashed him a fake smile and moved off to examine the rest of the house. It would appear having a robotic heavy around could have its benefits.

The rest of the house was more depressing than the kitchen. It stank of mould and human faeces. Only a really desperate group of people would opt to stay here but then he remembered the misplaced bunch outside and a small tug of pity pulled at his heart. It wasn't their fault they had been kicked out of their homes with nowhere to go.

After a frustrating ten minutes of sod all Gavin was about to head back downstairs and write this off as another waste of his time, when something white and plastic looking caught his eye in one of the bedrooms. In amongst the garbage and rotting furniture was an android hand. Tentatively, Gavin snapped on a forensic glove and picked the appendage up. He would have to ask his walking barcode scanner to identify it as there were no discerning marks on it, in fact it looked like the serial number had been scratched off. He glanced back down where it had been and saw a scrap of paper with a rough scrawl on it. It was splattered with drops of blue blood and had been hidden by the hand.

There was a crude drawing of Detroit and the roads leading into it. Gavin frowned, turning the piece of paper over in his hand. On the back was a short barely legible message. _South less guarded. Use river as cover._

He straightened up, folding the paper and stowing it in his jacket pocket. He was contemplating where to put the android hand when he was pulled backwards by a strong force. He slammed into one of the crumbling walls, the air leaving his lungs in a grunt. Already weakened, the wall collapsed under the impact, chunks of plaster and wood raining down on him from his new position on the floor.

Swearing loudly Gavin struggled to sit up, looking around wildly for his attacker. It was hard to locate them through the slowly settling dust cloud but a quick shadowy movement caught the Detective's eye and within moments he had his gun drawn.

"Don't fucking move!" He yelled, before proceeding to cough violently from the bits of wall he had inhaled. The shadow ignored him and lunged towards him. A man emerged from the gloom, his hands outstretched. He was just as dishevelled as the low life downstairs, his clothes dirty and tattered, and there was a nasty cut on his forehead which had been hastily stitched up. At least he was human, Gavin thought sourly as the man bared down on him, there was a chance he would be able to fight him off. His attacker wrapped his meaty hands around the Detective throat before he could get any further with his hopeful thought process. Gavin gurgled as his grip tightened, his gun now pressed uselessly against his chest.

He was heavy; too heavy to wrestle off from his disadvantage position on the floor. He tried to free his weapon but his attacker caught wind of his intentions and pressed his weighty body into him driving the last of whatever breath he had had out of him. Black spots began to form around the edge of his vision and his eyes were just starting to roll back in his head when the weight was abruptly gone and another wall in the already larger room was destroyed with a loud crash.

Gavin leant to the side, coughing violently, although this time it was more to expel the excess carbon dioxide than the new cloud of debris. Once he could see clearly again he looked up trying to see what had happened to his new friend. The wall opposite now sported an impressive hole where his attacker had been thrown. He was slumped against the remains of the partition, obviously unconscious. In the middle of the newly renovated room stood a towering, rigid figure, its pristine white Cyberlife jacket covered in a fine layer of grey dust. Even through the smokescreen Gavin could still see its ice blue eyes staring down at him, a look of disdain evident on the RK900's face.

"Detective." It stated simply, the scorn dripping from the word. He stared up at the android, gathering his scrambled thoughts. He was grateful it had saved him, but at the same time he fucking hated it for it. The RK900 took a step towards him and held out its hand. Gavin growled under his breath as he knocked the hand aside, hoisting himself out of the mess of splintered wood and plaster. The android raised one perfect eyebrow at him as he dusted himself off and glared back at the condescending prick. Its unsettling eyes slowly slid down the length of him and back up. A cold anger spread through Gavin's gut as he realised what the machine was doing.

"Stop scanning me. I'm fine." He snapped. The RK900 didn't respond, simply completing its languid assessment of him, that eyebrow still raised as if in challenge. "I said…stop fucking scanning me." He snarled, closing the distance between them and grabbing two fistfuls of its jacket. It stared impassively down at him, the height difference rankling Gavin further.

"I am simply analysing your injuries Detective to ensure you are not in need of medical attention." He stretched up on his toes to bring his face inches from the android's.

"I don't need your help." He hissed. To his amazement the corner of its mouth quirked up slightly and with slow but deliberate strength it gripped his hands and loosened their hold on its jacket.

"My evidence suggests otherwise. You were approximately 5.2 seconds away from passing out when I intervened. Therefore I think my help _is_ needed in this scenario." Gavin's mouth dropped open and he was about to retaliate with a barrage of insults when it spoke again, turning away from the seething Detective as if the matter was resolved. "What did you find up here to provoke such an aggressive reaction?"

"Not much." He grudgingly replied once he had got his shock and outrage relatively under control. "Apart from an unmarked android hand and this." He removed the scrap of paper from his jacket and held it out for the RK900. It took it and turned it over a few times, its intense blue eyes racing back and forth as it took the information in.

"It appears to be a map of Detroit and a note on the best way to enter." Gavin nodded, pushing a hand through his dusty hair.

"That's what I thought. But why would this band of nobodies want to risk their asses in that place? They'd be outnumbered easily." The android tilted its head, giving him a sideways look.

"Maybe it's not just them." It said. Now it was Gavin's turn to raise an eyebrow.

"Maybe." A sudden thought sent the adrenaline rushing round his body. "Hang on. If you're up here with me, who's watching our suspect?"

The RK900 stared at him blankly. "I knocked him out when I heard the sound of combat." The Detective tugged on his hair in frustration.

"You did what?! Shit, now we can't bring him in for questioning. The Captain won't be happy if we assaulted a suspect with no evidence. Great job robo-genius." Gavin clenched his jaw and turned to move back downstairs. For a second he was sure he saw a fleeting look of anger on the android's face, but it was gone before he could look back at it.

"Come on then _partner._ We'd better get back even though we have literally nothing. Another wasted trip." He began to stomp downstairs with his mechanical shadow close behind. They lapsed into blissful silence for the journey back to the precinct, but Gavin's thoughts were anything but quiet. He had a funny feeling those guys had been from the same group that bitch had been a part of. And according to that poorly hidden note, they were planning some pretty heavy shit. It may not help in his search for Cyberlife's connection to the Chosen but it was certainly something to chew on.

* * *

"In my honest opinion, I think you should talk to her."

Connor frowned at Markus. "I've been trying, but she's so busy with Lola and I'm focused on planning this infiltration with you that I never seem to have time." His leader rolled his mis-matched eyes. In truth he had been trying since that awkward encounter on the roof, but every time he had tried to speak with her she had always managed to avoid him. Hank had been nagging him in a similar fashion for days now, his mood towards the android souring more and more as time went on.

"Connor, you need to make time. I still don't know what happened but this argument you're having is only distracting you." Markus said, eyeing his friend sceptically. The RK800 let out a sigh and put down the data pad containing intel Markus' spies had gathered.

"I'm sorry. I just don't know how to approach her. What happened it was…well, it was unexpected." Markus' eyebrows rose at his enigmatic response, but he knew better than to press the android. Connor had been built to catch deviants and assist Detectives, if he didn't want to reveal something there wasn't a machine alive that would be able to extract it from him…willingly at least. It was one of the many traits he had brought over from his machine days; along with his coin and his inability to get rid of his uniform.

Markus' brow furrowed as he remembered his constant conversations with Connor before all this had started, insisting he let go of his Cyberlife issue clothes and wear something more human. He assessed his friend now, he was still wearing the clothes he had adopted to go undercover in Becca's group. A navy button down shirt, a weathered leather jacket and a pair of dark jeans. The LED on the side of his head was also still mysteriously absent. Connor caught him staring and cocked his head to one side quizzically.

"What's wrong?" He asked, confusion clouding those honest brown eyes of his. Markus gave him an odd half smile.

"You've been back in Detroit for a month now, why haven't you changed your clothes?" The Jericho leader found a direct question was usually the best approach with Connor. The RK800 paused for a moment, Markus could almost hear the cogs whirring in his head.

"I…I don't know." Connor's uncertainty made Markus smile. If it was the last thing he did on this earth he would help his friend come to terms with his new thoughts and emotions.

"You're worried Becca will be unnerved if she sees you in your uniform?" Connor looked at him sharply, his eyes turning hard.

"No." He answered abruptly, but Markus was better at this that he was.

"You sure?" He asked, crease lines appearing by his eyes as he held back the mirth at Connor's stunned expression. Before he could respond however, the door to Markus' office flew open and Hank burst in, his already wild hair sticking up as if he'd had a fright.

"God damn it all." The old man grumbled as he stormed into the room, completely ignoring the conversation the two androids had been having seconds before.

"What is it Hank?" Markus asked, apprehension clear in his tone. He wasn't sure how much more drama his circuits could take. What with planning a break in to a high security Cyberlife plant, maintaining the peace between the androids and the two humans now in his care and playing Agony Aunt to Connor, there wasn't much room for whatever Lieutenant Anderson wanted to get off his chest.

"No offence, but that she-devil you call a partner has put me under house arrest. I didn't come here to be kept hostage, I'm trying to help." The small amount of face that wasn't covered by grey, shaggy hair turned red as his voice rose.

"What did you do?" Connor asked. Grateful for this diversion from the probing path their discussion had been taking before. Hank's blue eyes flashed as he turned on his friend.

"Nothing. I was helping Josh with the equipment he's been prepping for the plant and she said I couldn't go out to get supplies with him." Markus pinched the bridge of his nose. Androids didn't get headaches but if he had to listen to one more of Hank and North's fights he was likely going to be the first in history to experience one.

"I'm sure she had her reasons. To be honest having you or Becca out of City hall isn't an ideal situation." Hank's mouth pulled into a disgruntled line.

"Well Lola's taken Becca out to the South limits to help a new group of refugees just come in. So why didn't North stop her? It's discrimination Markus, god damn discrimination." Connor flicked a worried glance at Markus. He could feel the tension coming off the android. Lola was capable but the limits were notoriously dangerous at the moment.

"Why don't you just ask North why she won't let you leave?" Connor asked, his voice light but there was a strain behind the façade that both Markus and Hank picked up on. Hank however wasn't in the mood for delicacy.

"You can talk kid. Pussy footing around that girl for the past week, too chicken shit to go say sorry to her. I'll talk to that harpy when you finally admit to Becca how you feel. I've got no more time for your bullshit."

Connor flinched as if he had been slapped. His friend's hostility taking him by surprise. He wanted to talk to her, he truly did, but what had happened between them was hard to explain and highly disturbing. Probing was an unpleasant, intrusive action to perform on an android. It forced the subject to relive past memories and put a lot of stress on their internal circuits. To do it to a human, well…apart from being technically impossible it was also incredibly traumatic for both the parties. Connor had seen a glimpse of Becca's past life and all the emotions attached to it. He had lived through her husband's gruesome death with her, and had mourned with her too. It had been an accident, but also a gross abuse of her privacy. It wasn't something he could just forget and nor, evidently, could she. A line had been crossed and he wasn't sure he could return to the other side.

"Hank…that's enough." Markus cautioned, fixing the Lieutenant with a serious look. The old man ran a distressed hand through his hair, making it stand to attention even more. He opened his mouth, not done with his rant, but they were interrupted yet again by another unannounced visitor.

Simon's eyes were wide and filled with fear as he stood in the open doorway. He stared at the trio, scanning each individual face until his gaze landed on Markus. The leader of Jericho straightened, his face growing taunt as he took in Simon's panicked terror.

"What is it?" He asked, his words staccato. The PL600 seemed frozen in place, unable to move or speak for a moment. Then he jolted forward, his voice tense and loud as a gunshot in the quiet room.

"We're under attack." The three men stared at the android, the news slowly settling on them like snow.

"What do you mean?" Markus spoke again. Simon let out a shaky breath as his system tried to cool itself down.

"There's a whole army of them."

"Who's _them_?" Hank asked, his Detective mode kicking in.

"We don't know. The android's that survived long enough to alert us didn't manage to ID them." Simon's tone was acid as he informed them of the gravity of the situation.

"Where?" This time it was Connor who spoke, his voice stretched tight like an elastic band.

"They're coming from the South. They started attacking the guards at the limits and they're advancing on Detroit." The atmosphere in the room was suddenly heavy, pressing down on the assembled androids and human as Simon's words registered. Hank and Markus both looked at Connor with the same expression of alarm. The RK800 was looking at the floor, his brow creased in the deepest frown they had ever seen on it. His eyes two sharp points of bronze. No one spoke; Simon looked in sudden confusion at his leader who was staring at the ex-Deviant hunter with a mixture of fear and pity. For whatever reason Connor had decided not to return his LED to his temple, but Markus was sure if it had ben there, it would be spinning a frantic, furious red right now.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Bit of a longer chapter for you all today. Hopefully you'll enjoy some of the angst in this one, and a few familiar faces. ;) As always read, review and enjoy! :)**

Chapter 15

The sound of gunfire echoed through the sparse trees where they were hiding. Lola was crouched low over a badly damaged android, a burly TR400 dressed in well-worn dark clothes. It looked like he had been a refugee for a while, along with the AX400 and the little YK500 child he was travelling with.

The AX400, who had introduced herself as Kara when they arrived, was holding the girl android against her chest as she scanned the trees for the source of the gunshots. "It sounds like it's getting closer." She murmured, her voice filled with fear as Lola tried to repair the gigantic TR400 known as Luther enough so he could walk.

"It looks like the sensory cable has been severed." She said, ignoring the worried android and the increasing noise of combat. "I could reroute the power through the mid-level coupling, what do you think Becca?"

"Sounds plausible." Becca replied, tearing her eyes away from the distant line where the ground dropped away into the Detroit river. It sounded like the fighting was happening in that direction, near the limits. She dropped into a squat beside the android and scrutinised her work. The more she worked with Lola, the more she grew to like the android's easy personality and the more Lola seemed to rely on her opinion. She assessed the damage now. The leg had been severed by a nasty cut, although known of the androids were willing to reveal how it had happened. Rerouting the sensory cable would allow Luther to reach the safety of Detroit's built up area but he would need more serious repairs once there.

"Do it. Sounds like we don't have long." There was the sound of more gunfire, closer this time, making the girl shrink back into Kara's grasp.

"It's okay Alice. It'll be okay." The android soothed, stroking the child's hair. Becca felt a painful twinge in her chest as she watched the pair. Anyone unaware of their true origins would swear they were mother and daughter. Lola worked fast, reattaching the cable via the junction in Luther's stomach. There was another burst of rapid fire, so loud it appeared to be on top of them now. The child called Alice whimpered, burying her face into Kara.

"How's it coming Lola?" Becca asked, her attention focused on the edge of the river. Luckily they were in a park situated on the banks of the Detroit river, it was only a small patch of land with a few groups of trees but it was enough to hide in when the shooting had started. They had no idea where it was coming from or whether it was their side winning or not but all that mattered right now was getting these refugees to City hall safely.

"Done." Lola cried and Luther immediately flexed his leg, the synthetic skin retracting over his casing. In moments he was back on his feet and enveloping Kara and Alice in his vast arms. He really was a giant, Becca thought craning her neck to look up at him.

"Right, let's get back to the main street. We should be able to find someone to warn them when we-" Lola was cut off as a panicked, half wild looking android barrelled towards them through the trees. He was covered in thirium, the blue seeping through his clothes in navy blue splotches. One of his eyes was missing as well, giving him a haunting look as he stumbled towards them.

The child let out a terrified scream and Luther hugged her tighter to him to obscure her view. Lola and Becca stepped forward, both automatically reaching for the damaged android as he fell haphazardly into their midst.

"They're coming! Go, now!" He shouted, his voice filled with feedback and static as his system struggled to keep going. Becca ignored his warning and grasped the android firmly around the shoulders, keeping him upright.

"Let me have a look at you." She said in a soothing voice. He looked at her with his one horror filled eye.

"No time. Please, you need to go. There are too many, the rest are all dead." A cold dread filled Becca as she stared into the android's maimed face. As if to highlight his warning there was another barrage of gunfire, this time even closer. If they had been in any doubt before now they were all certain, the fight was coming their way and it definitely wasn't their side winning. The injured android shuddered in Becca's arms and abruptly closed his eyes, his body going limp as the life left him. Slowly she lowered him to the ground and tried to steady her racing thoughts.

They had come out here just the two of them after insisting a troupe of androids would only alarm the refugees they had come to help. Now a large group didn't seem such an unappealing idea. A tight knot of panic settled in Becca's stomach as she wondered if the others were safe in City hall. They had no idea if the attack was happening in other places, the last she'd known, Connor and Hank had still been in the centre of the city, but they could be anywhere right now. Lola was the first to act.

"How well can you walk?" She asked Luther. The giant dark skinned android looked down at her with focused eyes.

"Well enough." He rumbled back. Kara stared up at him, worry etched on her face. Becca felt another pang as the feeling of family emanated off of the trio.

"Okay." Lola nodded. "We'll take the long way back via Delray to avoid getting too close to the river." Making sure the refugees were following Lola walked off, heading away from the gun fire. Becca looked down at the fallen android who had alerted them and whispered a heartfelt, "I'm sorry," to him before catching up with the group.

They had just reached the edge of the park and were looking onto Jefferson street when an explosion split the air around them. The group watched in horror as a building a few blocks up erupted into flames. Through the cloud of dust and rubble the flailing figures of androids running for their lives appeared like ghosts. There weren't many of them, and several of them were missing limbs as they ran towards the centre of Detroit. The group hidden in the trees watched in stunned silence as one by one they fell to the ground in a spray of bullets and blue blood. The slow moving shadows of armed men materialised behind them in the fog of debris.

"They've cut us off, now what?" The android named Kara asked, her eyes darting between Luther, Lola and Becca.

"I'm…I'm not sure." Lola replied.

"We need to split up." Luther said, his voice a low rumble. "I'm slowing you all down, I'll lead them off you." Kara and Alice both shot him horrified looks.

"No, we're not leaving you again." The child squeaked.

"She's right. We go together or not at all." Kara seconded, earning her a grateful look from Alice. Becca felt the knot tighten inside of her. Seeing these three androids she barely knew express their love for each other so openly, it made her realised all the more what she had lost. Before she knew what she was doing she had set her mouth in a determined line and shook her head at the gather androids.

"I'll go." Her voice rang out. Four pairs of eyes flashed to her.

"Becca no. You can't." Lola started, but Becca held her hand up to stop her.

"You know the streets better, you can take them the safest way back. Plus if you run into another android they'll believe you quicker than me. If I don't do this we all get shot."

The repair android gave her a disbelieving look, then her face softened and she reached out to squeeze Becca's good arm.

"Please be safe." She said, causing Becca to swallow painfully as a stinging sensation pricked the back of her eyes. Loud shouts and the continued burst of sporadic gun fire were now on all sides. With their time officially run out Becca turned from the group and stepped out onto Jefferson street. Hopefully the fact she was a human would work in her favour here, but to be honest she had only been thinking about keeping that small family of androids safe and together. She had no one to care for her in that way, not anymore.

Holding her hands up high, she began to walk down the street in the direction of the building the attackers had destroyed. "Hey, I'm human! Don't shoot!" She called out, her voice bouncing off the other deserted high rises.

There was a weighty silence as she felt the attention shift directly to her. She squinted trying to see through the dust cloud at who it was she was facing, but there were still only the shimmering outlines of people. Android or human, she wasn't sure.

"Stop!" A male voice shouted back though the cloud and Becca obeyed.

"Who are you?!" She shouted back. They hadn't shot her on sight so that was a plus.

"Scan her." Another voice said, lower, to his comrade. Becca froze, her eyes growing wide, they were human. What would be the first thing the scanner picked up, her heat signature or the very android arm attached to her. It wouldn't be anything these men had seen before and she doubted whether, in the heat of the moment, they would stop to think about the possibilities of android prosthetics.

She looked around for an escape route if things went south, and her gaze settled on a large chunk of rubble that had been catapulted from the ruined building. There was a painfully long pause as she waited for whoever was hiding in that dust cloud to scan her and prayed that Lola had got the refugees somewhere safe. The low curse coming from the shadow men was the only indication she got of the result of her scan; that and the click as their guns were aimed at her.

She launched herself towards the lump of concrete and twisted metal just as the harsh retort of gunfire went off around her. She landed in a winded heap behind it but miraculously unscathed. However, her situation was still decidedly crap as bits of rubble rained down on her face from the storm of bullets now hitting her hiding place.

She looked around from her position on the floor and saw that the rubble was conveniently placed near the entrance of an alley leading off Jefferson street. There was a small gap of a few feet exposed to the potential of being shot, then safety. Gathering her legs up underneath her so she was in a racing position, Becca took a deep breath and hoped her luck held out just a little longer. Waiting for a break in the fire for the men to reload she shot off towards the invitingly sheltered alley entrance. She heard the shouts of the men as she appeared briefly from behind the chunk of concrete and a few ear splitting shots as they whistled past her, before she was in the dark embrace of the narrow alley and safely out of view again.

She didn't stop, forcing her legs to keep going. She was unfamiliar with the city of Detroit, but she knew what direction they had come in and she intended to head that way until she could see the tall clock tower of home. Her stomach twisted as her thoughts drifted to Connor and Hank and whether they were in a similar situation to her or safe within City hall's walls. Her feet slapped against the ground as she sprinted up the alley, the exit looming ahead and with it the next uncertainty. She just hoped the attackers hadn't made it further that Jefferson.

She slowed to a jog, then to a walk and finally stopped to poke her head out of the alley. The street looked quiet, but there was an eeriness to the silence. There was no more gunfire, nearby or from the direction she had come. Becca slowed her frantic breathing and tried to get her bearings. She knew if she kept going straight on she would eventually be able to see the top of City hall's clock tower. Looking across the street she spotted another alley, the only problem was there was little to no cover. Just a few abandoned cars lay between her and her goal.

"Here goes nothing." She muttered to herself as she sank into a crouch and walked quietly out into the street. When the bullets didn't immediately start to fly she relaxed slightly and continued to move quickly towards the next cover point. She was just assessing her next move from behind an electric car when a shout rang out in the deathly quiet.

"Over there!"

She didn't have time to see which direction they were coming from, all her senses told her to run. Adrenaline shot through her as she abandoned her meagre cover and sprint as fast as she was able towards the alley. The relatively normal sized street suddenly felt twelve miles wide. She felt a jolt of panic as a bullet whistled shrilly past her ear. She feinted to the left instinctually trying to avoid the next projectile.

Her legs were aching but she pushed them harder. Her lungs were burning, the metallic taste of acid filling her mouth. Still she forced he legs to move faster. But it wasn't fast enough. A searing pain flashed through her calf and she stumbled, the force of the bullet taking her off balance. The sensation was excruciating. She fell forward, her hands scrapping against the concrete as she tried frantically to stand up again. Gritting her teeth against the grating pain in her leg Becca threw herself towards the safety of the next alley. Her movement considerably slower.

A desperate sob broke from her lips as another bullet barely missed her. The shouts of her attackers were drawing closer but she couldn't understand them anymore, the pain clouding her mind. How had she ended up in this situation? It was only a matter of time that someone would finish the job of killing her, she just always expected it to be the androids, not humans. But was there really any difference anymore?

Abruptly Connor's familiar face entered her mind; his eyes wide and filled with concern. She hadn't spoken to him since the incident on the roof. And as much as she felt betrayed by his intrusion into her private thoughts, she had missed his kind, soothing voice and calming presence. She stumbled again, a hot, wet sensation running down her leg as the blood escaped the wound. Why hadn't she spoken to him? Why had she been so stubborn?

The alley way was a few feet away. She was going to make it. And then what? The thought hit her like a wave of ice. No one would get here in time. She couldn't run any further. The men pursuing her would catch her soon and finish her off.

Another sob broke free as she found herself on her hands and knees, her android arm clawing at the hard ground, pulling her inch by inch towards the dark recess. _Please let him be safe_. She thought as the sound of another round of gunfire reached her ears just before the next bullet buried itself in her side. She cried out in agony and collapsed on the ground. Her android arm continued to pull her forward until the light of day was blocked out by the high walls of the alley.

The pain was everywhere. Crawling up her leg and now spreading through her stomach. A raging fire that only had one purpose, to consume her. She let out a bloody cough and finally came to a rest, on her front, her arm outstretched. Closing her eyes against the pain, she heard the faint sound of voices approaching her. Let them find her. She had helped Lola and that family escape. Connor and Hank would be fine. They didn't need her.

As the sounds began to recede into the background, as if she were sinking into a dark, cold pool, Becca could have sworn she heard her name being shouted. But then there was nothing. Just the silence and the peace of nothing.

 _Please let him be safe._

* * *

"Try harder!"

Everyone jumped at the sound of Connor's enraged demand. Hank had never seen the android so riled. He was stood on one side of a repair bay table glaring over at Lola who was stood opposite him. His jaw was tensed, along with the rest of him, his usually perfectly styled hair dishevelled and falling into his eyes which were burning with a bright, determined fire. Lola stared back at him, two parts afraid to one part angry, her hands clutching a scalpel and syringe and her white lab coat stained with a worrying scarlet instead of the standard cobalt. Between them, completely oblivious to the heated argument breaking out around her, was a deathly pale Becca. Her eyes shut and her chest barely moving in the harsh strip lighting.

It had all happened in the blink of an eye. As soon as Simon had told them where the attack was taking place, Connor had darted out of Markus' office, ignoring the shouts of warning and panic behind him. Hank had tried to follow but the android's superior speed and infinite stamina had left him in the dust. So had followed a tense hour where floods of injured and terrified androids had swept in from the South limits, bringing with them stories of massacre and violence. Markus had summoned his best fighters, leading them himself towards the fighting, as the sounds of gunfire and explosions reached those still at City hall. He had ordered the Lieutenant to stay put and after Hank had thrown every curse word and insult his way he had grudgingly left Josh and Simon to guard the belligerent old man.

Hank had waited, and waited, and waited some more. Cursing his age and ill health, and his inability to break away from his glorified babysitters, pacing as he fretted over his friends. He had been close to breaking point and about to jump the two of them when a commotion had erupted in the entrance hall. All three of them had dashed to see if the attackers had somehow made it to them, but instead found a livid, bloodstained Connor carrying the limp body of Rebecca as he ran full speed towards the repair centre shouting for help as he went.

Now they were gathered round her severely injured body, and Connor's mood hadn't improved at all as Lola reminded him for the hundredth time that she had only been a medical assistant not a Doctor.

"The human surgeon always carried out operations Connor. I said I'd try and that's what I'm doing. But I can't guarantee her survival, I'm sorry."

A low growl came from Connor as he flexed his fingers, unsure whether he wanted his coin or to punch everyone in the room. "Save her Lola. I won't ask again." He snarled.

Hank raised an eyebrow. This was a first as far as he was concerned. He had never seen his friend this angry in all the time he had known him. Even in his most desperate and seemingly dire circumstances he had only ever displayed a controlled focus. As if the machine was still dictating his reaction to things. This Connor was as far from a machine as you could get, and it was leaving everyone stunned, not just him.

"Fine. Then stop interrupting and let me work." The repair android snapped at Connor. Her eyes flicking back down to her patient. Becca looked close to death, her face peaceful as if she were simply asleep and not seeping blood from a nasty bullet wound in her stomach. Judging by the amount on the table, Lola and Connor it was wonder she wasn't already dead. Josh and Simon shifted uneasily next to them as Lola undid Becca's shirt, exposing her pale skin and the jagged hole in her flesh. She gave them a menacing look.

"Having an audience isn't helping me either." She shot at them. Josh and Simon exchanged looks.

"I'll go and see if Markus has returned." Simon said, and Josh mumbled something about joining him before they both left, shooting worried glances at Becca. Hank frowned as they disappeared, he had always thought they didn't like her but maybe the soft spoken, self-less girl had made a few more friends than he realised here. They had all heard Lola recount how she had risked her life to save the refugee family that had arrived just before it all kicked off. Connor remained stubbornly still, his eyes fixed on Becca.

"Well, if he's staying so am I." Hank stated to no one in particular, but Lola simply shrugged in response, her attention already back on the job in hand.

"I didn't expect anything less from you two."

It took two hours of precise extraction and careful stitching of both wounds. Hank's gaze flicked between the inanimate body of Becca and the intense expression of his friend. Never once did Connor turn away or leave her side. He watched every move Lola made with a ferocity that quite honestly scared the old man. It was as if Becca was the most precious thing in the world and god forbid if Lola break her.

His heart ached for the android. He had wanted the kid to open up to his hard won emotions for as long as he'd known him. He only wished it had been over something nicer instead of feeling the agony and helplessness that came with watching a loved one suffer. Memories of being sat in a harsh smelling, garish waiting room, in limbo as an android operated on Cole, his son occupied his mind. Unable to help, unable to comfort him, unable to stop the blood escaping his small, damaged body and taking his life away with it.

Finally after watching Lola stitch and clean the wound, she straightened up and looked at the two of them. "I've done all I can. She needs rest now. If you could help me move her to a bed that would be helpful."

They placed her in the bed she had been sleeping in upstairs. Lola attached a drip to her arm and a heart monitor they had brought from Detroit hospital. She looked weary, despite not needing to sleep and Hank gave her a comforting pat on the shoulder.

"You did your best, that's all we can ask." She smiled at him gratefully. Her eyes filled with worry and sorrow.

"Thanks. We'll let her sleep now, hopefully she will come round soon. I gave her enough morphine to drug an elephant."

"I'll stay with her." It was the first words Connor had spoken since his frenzied outburst earlier. Lola opened her mouth as if to argue with him but Hank shook his head ever so slightly. She got the message, giving Connor a resigned nod before turning and leaving the room. Hank stared at his friend for a moment. None of the anger or tension had drained away from him, he still looked as if he was about to explode. Hank's eyes drifted to the blood splattered on his clothes and wondered if it was Becca's or someone else's. He hadn't told them how he had managed to rescue her yet, but Hank thought maybe there were fewer attackers to worry about now.

"You should at least change your clothes. Might freak her out if she wakes up to you looking like that." He said gently to the android. Connor didn't even look at him as he replied.

"Later." He sat down in the chair he had placed next to Becca's bedside and kept his eyes locked onto her. Hank gave a small sigh, weariness flooding through his bones. He gave Becca one last glance before turning and going to find a place to nap. God knew he needed it.

* * *

The constant beeping served as a guide for her as she drifted slowly up and out of the cool, dark pool she was in. The pain came to meet her as she rose up, but Becca forced her eyes to open. The feeling that it was important to face it rather than float in the calm of nothing. There was someone she needed to see.

The light from the room she was in made her wince and a soft groan escaped her mouth. Someone shifted next to her, she could feel their presence looming over her even before she knew who it was. The sharp scent of lemon soap filled her nose alerting her to her visitor's identity.

"She's waking up." The sound of his voice sent a wave of relief through her and pushed her to open her eyes properly against the glare. She was lying in her bedroom; the makeshift one Markus had assigned her whilst she stayed in Detroit. The heart monitor next to her was still emitting its repetitive beep, reassuring everyone around that her heart was indeed still working. Hank was sat in the corner of the room, a relieved smile on his face. But it was Connor and his proximity that drew all of Becca's attention away from her unexpected surroundings and the agonising pain in her side.

His brown eyes flicked back and forth as he scanned her. Usually it would have unnerved her but she was so happy to see the android she didn't say anything. There were worry lines etched onto his face as he assessed her. "How do you feel?" He finally asked, and she couldn't help but hear the strained note to his voice.

"I've been better." She croaked. Her mouth dry from disuse. Almost as soon as she had thought that a glass of water would be welcome right about now, one appeared in front of her. Connor stared at her anxiously as she took it gingerly from his hand, although she was certain he would have helped her drink it if he thought she couldn't cope. She felt a little better as the water soothed her burning throat. The drugs she had been given to dull the pain also dulling her thought process.

The last thing she remembered was lying face down in an alley somewhere in the Delray region of Detroit, the blood draining from her as her attackers closed in on her position. She should be dead right now.

"How did I get here?" She asked, her gaze switching between the agitated android and the old man in the corner.

"I found you. You were nearly dead. Five more minutes and…" Becca looked up at Connor, her eyes wide at his emotional tone. He looked as if he was about to cry, or shout or do something rash. It was then she realised he wasn't wearing his leather jacket anymore, or his navy shirt for that matter. They had been replaced by a crisp white button down shirt, a thin black tie and a grey and black Cyberlife issue jacket that proclaimed he was an RK800 in bold white letters. Her heart jumped at the jarring sight, registering on the monitor as a brief galloping staccato. Her eyes drifted up past his face to the rapidly blinking yellow circle on his temple.

"Your clothes. Your…" Becca's voice and movements was lethargic as she reached out a hand, aiming to touch the spinning LED on Connor's head. He jerked back abruptly, a scowl on his face.

"Is that all you can say? You nearly _died_ , and you're worried about my clothes?" Becca froze in shock at his unexpected outburst. She blinked up at him, her hand still held out in front of her, her cheeks flaring with colour at his harsh words.

Connor let out what sounded oddly like a low growl and span on his heels before striding out of the room. "I'll go and fetch Lola now she's awake." He spat at Hank on the way past, shutting the door a little too forcefully behind him.

The Lieutenant sighed, rolling his eyes as he levered himself out of his chair and came to stand beside the bed. Becca was still stuck in the same position she had been before Connor got angry at her. Eventually she let her hand fall back down onto the bed with a soft thud.

"What did I do?" Her voice wobbled slightly, although whether from the shock of everything that had happened or the hurt she felt at Connor's hostility she wasn't sure.

"He'll come round. You gave him quite a scare. Well, you gave all of us one to be honest kid." Hank's gruff voice shook her out of her stupor. She looked at the grizzly, old Detective and felt the sting of tears behind her eyes.

"They were going to kill me." She sobbed. The memories of that frantic dash through the streets, the insistent sound of bullets hitting the concrete around her, the flash of fire as one ripped through the flesh on her leg and stomach. Tentatively she lifted the cover and peered down at her torso. She was dressed in a t-shirt that wasn't hers, her trousers were gone, her legs bare, a bandage around her calf. Around her stomach was another thick, white bandage although part of it was already stained a pale pink.

"Lola did an amazing job. She said it should heal within a few weeks and you should be back to normal in a few months." Hank said, analysing Becca's face for signs of stress.

"Connor found me?" Was all she could manage as she let the covers fall back. Hank grunted.

"He certainly did. Although he hasn't talked about it with anyone. Boy ran off as soon as they said the attack was happening where you and Lola were. I don't think anyone, human or android, could have stopped him." The Lieutenant looked down at the girl, bandaged and broken, in the bed and made a decision. He rubbed furiously at his beard for a moment.

"Listen, I know it's not really my place but I'm fond of the kid and I want what's best for him." Becca frowned as she detected the serious note to his voice. "He was half wild Becca, never seen him like that before…over anything. He refused to leave your side when Lola was operating and practically bit my head off when I insisted he go and change while you slept." He paused and let out a long sigh. "I guess what I'm trying to say is…argh."

With a frustrated growl Hank deposited himself in the seat Connor had left. Becca waited patiently for him to get his thoughts together, a squirming knot of apprehension jostling around in her stomach.

"When I was still with my wife, you know…before Cole died, we used to watch movies together every Friday night. She loved romcoms that woman, adored them. And I sat through the fucking things, 'cos that's what you do when you're married. But you know what always irritated me about them? No one ever said what they were thinking. Not one fucking time. There would be two people who were obviously meant for each other; she'd liked sushi, he'd like sushi, she'd have a cute dog, he'd have a cute dog. You get my drift?"

Becca nodded slowly, her mouth slightly open as she listened to the old man. He fixed her with his steely blue eyes for a moment before continuing. "You'd just know that they were going to end up together, but they would never say anything to each other. Just dance around that fucking mulberry bush until we were all sick of mulberries. And then low and behold, two hours later they'd be sucking face on a porch in the rain somewhere. And I'd be thinking, man we could have finished this damn thing an hour and half ago if one of them had just said something." He rubbed a hand over his face, taking in Becca's stunned expression.

"Look kid, if you like him, tell him. 'Cos god fucking knows that android is loopy about you." Her heart jumped again, the monitor letting out an obstinate string of beeps in response. Hank raised an eyebrow at her. "Just think about it. I've had enough of watching you both chase each other round that bush, time for one of you to own up."

Without waiting for her to respond he pushed himself out of the chair and wandered out of the room, leaving her with her thoughts. She sank back into the pillows, unsure how to digest Hank's request. Eventually the drugs Lola was drip feeding into her system and the overload of emotions dragged her back into an uneasy, restless sleep.

* * *

"This isn't good. Her temperature is through the roof."

Lola was stood over Becca, the skin from her hand retracted as she rested it gently on her patient's forehead. "It's staying at a solid 106 no matter what I do."

She looked over at Connor who was back in his position by the side of the bed. He had rushed to get the android when Becca had started tossing and turning, threatening to dislodge her bandages. He cast a worried look over at Hank but the Lieutenant looked similarly unsure and not in the position to offer advice at this point.

"There must be something we can do?" He asked. Lola bit her lip, looking down at the numerous ice packs she had already placed around Becca.

"I don't know what else we can do short of shutting her in a freezer. If I don't get it below 100 in the next hour she could get seriously dehydrated and might even have a seizure if we're unlucky."

Connor clenched his jaw. He wasn't going to lose her to an infection now. Not after all he had done to get her here and certainly not after the last angry words he had spoken to her. A sharp stab of guilt shot through him as he remembered his outburst and Becca's shocked face as he had lashed out at her. Idiot. Absolute idiot.

Hank and Markus were right he had no idea what he was doing with these emotions. Becca let out another moan, her face crumpled in pain as she thrashed in her fevered dreams. Emotions right now were the least of his concern, all that mattered was getting her better. With his new objective set Connor shrugged out of his jacket and placed it on his chair. Then to the utter confusion of Hank and Lola he slipped off his tie and began to unbutton his shirt.

"Errrrr, son, what are you doing?" Hank asked worriedly. Connor ignored him undoing his shirt and depositing it on top of his jacket.

"Move those packs for me Lola." He commanded in an abrupt tone. Time was of the essence and he wasn't going to let it slip away from him. After a brief moment of confusion Lola cottoned on to his plan and hurriedly removed the packs from one side of the bed as Connor finished undressing by sliding his shoes and trousers off.

"Hey Con, I'd love an update anytime you're ready." Hank persisted, his tone becoming more panicked as Connor lifted one corner of Becca's cover.

"When the human body needs heat in extreme conditions, it is advised that they strip down and remain in close proximity to each other if in a group. This ensures body heat can pass freely between them. I assume the same theory can be held if a body is overheating and requires a consistent source of cold. I run at approximately 80 degrees Fahrenheit, so should be more than adequate to fulfil that need." Lola nodded in agreement as Hank stared open mouthed at Connor. Then he let out a loud barking laugh, his hands grasping his stomach.

"Sure…sure. However you want to sell it kid. But god help you when she wakes up." He wiped a tear from his eye as Connor glared at his inconsiderately amused friend.

"I'm doing this to stop her from dying Hank." He said through gritted teeth as he quickly slid in beside Becca and gently wrapped his arms around her.

"It's a good plan. Can you monitor her temperature from there?" Lola asked, seemingly unphased by this sudden inappropriately dressed development between Connor and Becca. The RK800 nodded. "Excellent. Get me if it increases at all." She added before turning and exiting the room shooting Hank a meaningful look. The Lieutenant grinned and winked at Connor as he followed suit.

"Have fun." He quipped, earning another growl from the android. He was getting quite good at those Hank thought, as he shut the door behind him, leaving them both alone.

Connor let his grip relax slightly once they were out of the room and looked down at Becca's unconscious form pressed against his bare chest. An odd squirming sensation started in his circuits as he stared at her. He could feel the heat from her skin radiating through his sensors as he held her. She was practically burning. Her shallow panting and the beep of the heart monitor were the only other sounds in the room.

Carefully he rested his chin on her head, taking in the scent of her hair. Becca let out another restless groan and twisted in her sleep. Finding her movement restricted she placed her human hand on Connor's chest and dug the tips on her fingers into his synthetic flesh. The squirming sensation quickened at the warm pressure and he found his own hand moving to hold her head steady against him.

"It's okay Becca. I'm here." He murmured. Willing her temperature to drop, for the infection to let her go. "I'm sorry." He whispered, so low a normal human would struggle to hear. But Becca's brow furrowed in concentration, her hand pressing into him more urgently, as if she was trying desperately to cling onto him. Then she breathed out a small sigh that was only just audible even to his sensors.

"Connor."

The squirming sensation turned into a riot of live wires in his gut, and something hidden deep within his system finally clicked into place, causing him to tighten his embrace and promise himself he'd never let her go.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Hey everyone, sorry for my long hiatus, I have been having some health issues these last few months and it all kind of caught up with me. Anywho, I know you have all been waiting for me to continue so here I am a Christmas present for you all, with hopefully another on the way soon. Your reviews and comments mean the world to me, but even if you're just reading and not saying anything I want to say a massive thank you. You guys are what I do this for, so never stop. Anyway, enough mush, I'll leave you all to read, review and enjoy! :)**

Chapter 16 

Becca woke to a cool, smooth something pressed against her cheek. She shifted slightly and froze when she felt a pairs of arms wrapped around her in a steel grip. She tried to turn her head to get a look at where she was, but the cool, smooth something was impeding her vision.

Her thoughts were muddy after the odd dreams she had experienced last night. Most had been nonsensical shapes and colours, but occasionally she had seen faces; Stephen's appeared quite a lot, sometimes kind and smiling and sometimes bloody and mangled. She had seen flashes of Hank and Lola, Henry had been there once or twice but Connor had been the most frequent visitor to her dreams. Mostly he had been stood watching her calmly as she tried to reach him, his brown eyes a beacon in the confusing hallucinations. But there had been moments when his face had appeared broken and malformed, his synthetic skin half off revealing the white casing beneath, thirium dripping from two empty eye sockets. They had been the worst ones, she was pretty sure she had woken up screaming a few times.

A steady beating against her ear drew her attention back to her current hallucination. She was aware of how cold the thing holding her was, it was like lying against a fridge. A soft, malleable fridge at least. She tried to place the gentle thrumming she could hear, it sound sort of like a heart, but there was a mechanical quality to it. Attempting to move her head again, she let out a disgruntled moan. Why was this hallucination being so stubborn? She didn't like not being able to see.

The something holding her loosened its grip and a very familiar voice rumbled through the cold, soft pillow she was resting against. "Are you awake?"

Shocked adrenaline shot through her nervous system giving her enough strength to jerk away from her captor and look him in the eyes. She immediately regretted the sudden movement however, as a lancing pain shot through her sensitive stomach. Connor stared up at her with gentle concern, then in one fluid movement he shifted himself into a sitting position so he was at eye level.

Becca had to take a moment to reassure herself that this wasn't another dream, as it looked a lot like Connor was sat in bed with her, half naked. Her eyes drifted slowly up from his bare chest, with its flawless synthetic skin and subtly defined muscles, to his worried expression and those large brown eyes she had seen so many times last night in the midst of her fever. The spinning LED on his temple distracted her slightly. It was flickering between a calming blue and an agitated yellow.

"The infection seems to have gone from your body and your core temperature has returned to a normal level." He stated, his tone more suiting a Doctor informing his patient than a half dressed android talking to the woman that had just woken up in his arms unexpectedly. Becca frowned, about to say as much to him then she saw the rapid flashing of his LED and realised he was unsure how to address the situation. He was nervous.

"What are you doing in my bed Connor?" She asked simply. Knowing a direct question would likely calm him down. Immediately the android seemed to relax, his LED slowing to a steady, constant blue glow.

"You were overheating due to an infection. I used my constant ambient temperature as an aid to cool you down." He looked away, a faint blue tinge entering his cheeks. "It appeared to be quite effective."

Becca felt her own cheeks heating as she looked down at his exposed torso. "How long have I been out?" She mumbled, not sure whether she wanted to hear the answer.

"Two days, 14 hours and 37 minutes." The android responded suspiciously fast.

"And the attack…what happened?" Connor looked away.

"Markus held them off but they've surrounded Detroit and we're no longer able to bring in spare parts or supplies for the city."

Becca looked down at her bandaged torso. "We're under siege." She stated, her voice monotone. A heavy pause settled between the android and human, then in one fluid movement Connor slipped out of the bed and began to dress himself. It was the first time he had moved since climbing in with Becca to save her but there was no stiffness or disorientation as he smoothly shrugged on his jacket and straightened his tie.

Becca watched him enviously from the confines of her own weakened form. The only part of her that didn't feel limp or ache was her android left arm. She used it now to try and follow Connor's suit and stand, but her human legs shook and gave way and she pushed her weight down on them. With a frustrated growl she reached out with her only functioning limb to try and steady herself. Her arm connected with Connor's steady frame as he moved to her in the blink of an eye. She hauled herself up and he circled her with his arms to keep her upright.

"You shouldn't be out of bed. You're still very weak." He said. Becca was still struggling to keep herself upright, but she was very aware of the sudden proximity she found herself in again. His citrusy scent filled her nose as she gripped onto his white shirt, the gentle thud of his thirium pump vibrating though her palm. She realised with a start this was what she had woken up hearing. His mechanical heart.

"I'm fine." She replied through gritted teeth. Her undressed state still causing her some embarrassment, especially considering how they had been pressed together a few moments ago.

"Please Becca." She stilled in his grasp, leaning her head back to look directly into his eyes.

"What did you just call me?" She asked, but Connor was already steering her onto the bed. His android strength no match for her depleted state.

"Just sit here. I'll get Lola to come and look at you." She frowned up at him but found she was even lacking the will to argue back. God, she must be ill. Reluctantly she watched him leave, but stubbornly refused to lie back down on the bed, choosing instead to sit upright even though that alone was making her woozy. Had he just called her Becca, not Rebecca?

Left alone in her room she found her mind trying to process all that had happened in the past few days. She had been unconscious for most of it, but the bits she could remember were a pain filled blur. Running through the streets of downtown Detroit. Bullets flying past her head. The searing agony of being shot in the side and passing out in the alley.

What had happened then?

She had been floating above the ground, hovering, no…being carried. Someone had carried her back here. Then urgent voices and one shouting insistently over her. Bright lights pointed at her and someone cutting into her flesh. Opening her eyes to see Connor looking more like an android than ever, Hank talking to her about what? Films? No, it had been about Connor.

Her face turned cold as the conversation slowly came back to her, along with the realisation that she had been plastered to the android's naked torso for a little over two days afterwards. She was just trying to process the myriad of emotions and confusing feelings swirling around in her weary brain when Lola bustled through the door. Her green eyes shining with joy at the sight of her friend.

"You're back." She said, immediately shining a light in Becca's eye making her wince.

"It would appear so." She swept the light back and forth, her face inches from Becca's.

"All responses normal. That was a close call, I don't recommend pulling a stunt like that again. You're not built for combat." She pulled back and assessed her human friend.

"Connor said the fighting isn't over." Becca said. Lola's happy expression fell.

"No. It isn't. Markus has kept them out of the city but they're blocking our routes in and out. I haven't been able to get spare parts or any thirium for a day now." Dread settled like a stone in Becca's stomach.

"How many injured?" She asked. Lola suddenly looked weary, the light in her eyes dimming.

"Too many to deal with quick enough. I've already lost five today." Becca rubbed a hand over her face and wobbled back to her feet. Lola shot out an arm to stop her but this time she was quicker, pushing her away with her android arm.

"Rest isn't going to help me when there's work to be done. Help me get dressed will you." The medical android gave her a disapproving look but finally shrugged and gathered Becca's clean clothes which had been folded neatly by her bed.

She felt something tug at her heart as she had a pretty good idea who had done such a thoughtful thing and decided to talk to him as soon as she had found out what was going on in Detroit.

* * *

"Over a hundred and fifty Markus. And more than half of them are critically damaged. We're out of spare parts and thirium levels are at their lowest yet. We need to act."

North was trying to keep pace with Markus as he strode through city hall on his way to the council chambers. The sheer volume of androids needing repairs after the attack had exceeded the space in the repair centre below, so they had been relocated the old council meeting room. A large, wood panelled hall filled with tiered seating and a circular raised stage where the Detroit council would sit.

"I refuse to risk anymore of our people trying to break their wall. We will outlast them." He said, pushing open the heavy wooden doors that led into city hall's new makeshift repair centre. Androids filled the seats surrounding the vast room. The worst damaged had been laid on repair tables on the raised dais. The atmosphere in the room was tense and worried. A few of the androids that helped Lola were attending to some of the severely injured. There were androids of all models gathered here; adult and child, labourers and domestic builds, female and male. They had all been caught in the crossfire of the attack on Detroit.

Anger flared through Markus, and he had to take a moment to calm himself as his gaze settled on Lola and a very pale, but alive, Becca next to her on the stage. Markus collected himself and walked towards the pair, North following behind. The eyes of his people turned to him as he made his way towards the centre of the room. The android and human working on one of the injured looked up as he approached. Lola's expression was set in a determined scowl, whilst Becca's was decidedly more nervous. Markus cast a concerned eye over her, he was surprised to see her up and about so soon after nearly dying and it was clear from her pallid complexion that she wasn't quite herself.

"Markus." Lola said by way of greeting, she gave a cursory nod towards North as well.

"How is everything?" He answered, his eyes sliding away from Becca to look at the android laying on the table between them. He was missing his chest panel and had been powered down to save his energy. His thirium pump was lying next to him although still wired in to prevent a critical shutdown.

"Not good. I'm on my last case of thirium and have no spares to replace anything now. If someone has a hardware failure there isn't much we can do." Markus ran a hand over his face. It was bad news. He knew they needed to break the siege soon but with the added pressure of losing his people to unrepairable damage it was going to force him to do something rash.

"You're both doing very well. How are you feeling Becca?" He turned back to the her, and noted how her eyes flashed away from his gaze far too quickly. Something wasn't right.

"I've been better, and Lola keeps making me take breaks."

"Rightly so, you shouldn't be out of bed." Lola shot back.

"Don't push yourself, you did a brave thing saving those androids it would be a shame to lose you to stubbornness." Markus said, smiling warmly at Becca. Her cheeks flushed a pale pink, the only colour in her ghostly face. North let out an angry sound next to him.

"Although we wouldn't be in this mess if it wasn't for her." Becca's eyes flashed to his partner, her expression one of shock. Markus gave North a disapproving look.

"We don't know that." He chastised but his feisty partner was having none of it.

"No, I'm sick of you sticking up for her. She doesn't belong here, she's a human and a member of anti-android activist group. Those humans wouldn't have attack Detroit if she wasn't here." Markus' disapproving look turned into a glare.

"What are you talking about?" Lola said her tone impatient. She was clearly fed up with this interruption and wanted to get back to her patients.

"It was her group that attacked us." North shrieked, pointing an accusing finger at Becca. The air in the room suddenly felt dense, all eyes of those that were able were on them. Becca's own eyes grew large, her face turning even whiter if that was possible.

"Is that true?" She said, looking at Markus. He let out a long sigh. This wasn't really the time and place for this discussion but his volatile partner had other ideas.

"Partly. It turns out that Cyberlife also launched an attack at the same time as your band of humans." Becca frowned at him. Unsure what to make of this avalanche of information. "We managed to capture some of them. All of the prisoners admit to being employees of Cyberlife, except for one. He won't say who he is but he keeps asking for you."

Markus levelled his gaze at Becca. He watched as the last of her colour drained from her face. "Markus, can this wait? " Lola said, reaching out to grip Becca's shoulders.

"Not if she's a traitor." North spat back, taking a step forward.

"I'm…I'm not. I just…want to help."

"Who are you helping exactly? We were fine until you came here. You may have tricked her and Connor but I don't trust you."

"North, stop." Markus warned as his partner's unpredictable temper began to rise. She ignored him, her rage focused completely on the woman in front of her. She had told Markus that sending Connor to talk to those savages had been stupid, but he never listened and now look what had happened. They had attacked Detroit along with Cyberlife agents and now her people were struggling again.

"You don't belong here." North glared at Becca. The atmosphere in the room was pushing down on them. The gathered androids, battered, torn and damaged, all watched the heated exchange taking place in the midst of them. Lola and Markus's eyes flicked between the angry North and a subdued Becca. It was clear from her posture and the way her eyes bored into the human that she was spoiling for a fight, but Becca simply let out a heavy sigh and moved slowly off the raised platform and towards the door.

"Where are you going?" North called after her incredulously, her voice echoing throughout the silent council chambers. Becca kept walking, her head bowed. North was right, she had caused all this mess. They had all been dragged into her problems and she didn't even have the guts to tell them what was going on. First the Chosen, then Cyberlife, now the very people who had saved her life all those months ago were after her.

The eyes of the injured androids that filled the cavernous room followed her as she made slow progress to the door. She wished she could run but she was having enough trouble walking and standing. She could feel North, Markus and Lola's gaze burning into the back of her head, but none of them made a move to stop her. What tentative relationships she had formed with the androids were all built on lies and distrust. It was an uneasy illusion that humans and machines could live in harmony, the sham of a cease fire was proof enough of that. This attack had likely been reported on. She wondered idly as she shuffled towards the exit if the repercussion of it were being felt outside the city. She wondered if Connor blamed her like the others did. He had made a pretty hasty exit this morning.

Keeping her head low she was almost at the door when a movement to her left caught her eye. She paused and looked at the pitiful android slumped on the floor. Another AX400 like the one she had helped in the attack, except this one had long brown hair and no left arm. She was attempting to straightened herself but her lost limb was keeping her unbalanced. Blue blood leaked from a damaged cable in her exposed elbow circuitry. Noticing the woman that had stopped in front of her the android looked up with wide, frightened eyes. Becca felt a jolt of nausea as she saw for the first time the android's lower jaw was also missing. She couldn't say anything but the despair was evident in her expression. A swell of guilt rose inside Becca as she looked down at the badly damaged android. Lola had used the last of their spare parts this morning, there was nothing to repair this android with. Unless Markus could break through the attackers gathered around the city this AX400 would likely remain silent and unable to move properly for a long time. If she survived.

An image of the little family that Becca had rescued burst to the forefront of her mind. She felt miserable, all she had wanted was to stop all this violence between the two species. Even when she was with the volatile anti-android group she had stayed to try and change their views. God knows she had nothing else to live for. Except that wasn't true anymore was it. Connor's lovely face consumed her thoughts as she slowly reached for the connector to her android arm. There may be no spare parts in storage but she could at least do one thing for this poor creature. The AX400 watched in mute surprise as Becca disconnected her bionic arm and knelt down to fix it to her.

North watched in disbelief from the stage. The whole room was watching the pair in fact, and as Becca stood up, the space where her arm had been standing out like a beacon, a ripple of movement swept through the gathered androids. As one they stood, if they were able, and moved towards the human woman looking down at the AX400 she had just helped. Markus, Lola and North remained motionless, unsure what they were witnessing as the mass of androids encircled Becca. She stared at them with a mixture of sadness and confusion, but her expression quickly changed to one of awe as one by one, the androids disconnected one of their arms and held it out to her.

North felt her chest constrict painfully as she stood silently watching next to Markus. She glanced over at him and saw a small enigmatic smile on his lovely face. His eyes slid down to look at her and she felt the overwhelming urge to look away in shame. She had been horrible to this human, judging her before she had truly known her. Markus always said that she needed to open up and give everyone, human and android, a chance and she had let him down. Anger, guilt and sadness flashed through her circuits as she looked at Becca through the crowd, the woman's kind eyes flicking around the circle of injured androids all offering what she had so freely given up to one of their kind.

Almost as if in a trance North stepped off the raised stage and walked towards the throng. She could feel Markus' eyes on her back as she made her way through the assembled crowd, her own eyes never leaving Becca's face. Breaking through the circle the woman's gaze flashed to her, a brief moment of apprehension flitting across her features. That tug of guilt and shame pulled on North again and she felt her mouth pulling into a grimace as she slowly rolled up her sleeve.

Becca's hazel eyes followed the movement, then grew wide as North retracted the skin on her arm and carefully twisted the limb to disconnect it. With deliberate steps she stepped forward and held it out towards Becca. The two women stared at each other, an exchange passing between them without any words being spoken.

 _I'm sorry I judged you._ And…

 _I don't blame you._

North watched as Becca reached forward and lay her hand on top of the proffered arm in her hand. She gently pushed on it until it rested at North's side. The android watched as Becca gave her a tentative, sad smile the tears in her eyes finally spilling over.

"That's better than any cease fire." Markus said in voice only Lola could hear.

* * *

"I'm telling you, I've never seen anything like it. All of them just got up and started offering their arms to her. Even North." Josh said as he kept pace with Connor's hurried steps.

The RK800 shot him a sideways look, his eyes clouded with worry. The other android had been recounting the events of the morning to him. Josh had been talking to one of the refugees in the back of the makeshift repair centre when Markus and North had entered. He had seen everything from his vantage point on the raised seating, the heated conversation, Becca attempting to leave, the injured AX400 and Becca's sacrifice for her, then the ensuing spectacular of sixty androids all offering their own arms to the woman, North included. But what worried Connor was Becca's intentions before the gesture of respect from his people. Why had she been leaving? What had North and Markus said to her? And why was she being allowed to go back to repairing androids when she should be worried about repairing herself? He doubled his speed causing Josh to break into a jog next to him. "Whoa Con, what's the rush?"

He didn't respond, pressing his lips together in a firm line he focused on getting to the prisoner's holding cell as quickly as possible. Josh had come to get him, claiming Markus wanted him present when he spoke to the one human attacker that hadn't been from Cyberlife. Apparently the man had been asking for Becca repeatedly and nothing else. The reason he was rushing to get there wasn't to please Markus, it was due to Josh's nonchalant comment that Becca was also there with him. Now he was even more anxious to see what was going on after being filled in on the incident in the repair centre.

"Markus said the androids she saved were the same ones that crossed the Canadian border during the revolution. Weird that they ended up back here right?"

Josh's attempted the calm the highly strung android next to him fell flat. His LED standing out against his temple, flickering repeatedly to a restless yellow. He was now almost fully sprinting as they leapt up the stairs of Connor's old work place, the Detroit Police precinct. The building was mostly empty apart from the one room that Connor himself used as his base. But it was the perfect place to keep the men Markus and the others had captured during the attack.

The pair raced through the empty reception and into the main precinct. Josh jolted to a stop as he registered a large figure lounging casually by one of the desks. Lieutenant Hank Anderson gave him a sly smile as he pushed off from his desk and sauntered over to Connor. The RK800 didn't even flinch at the sight of his friend in his old stomping grounds, continuing on his route to the holding cells.

"What are you doing here?" Josh said, narrowing his dark eyes at the grizzly human.

Hank simply smirked and effortlessly merged into step with Connor much to Josh's annoyance. "You didn't really think you could keep me out of this did you? Besides, I wanted to see the building, make sure you're all looking after it."

"But Simon-"

"Yeah, I left that stuffy asshole back at City hall. He's probably still waiting for me outside the john." Josh shook his head in disbelief, partly due to the old man avoiding Simon and partly to do with the impossible image of the generously proportion Lieutenant squeezing out of the windows in that toilet.

The three of them circled what used to be Captain Fowler's fancy office, a glass box in the middle of the precinct so he could keep an eagle eye on everyone outside, and turned into the corridor that housed several glass fronted holding cells. The first three were filled with men all slumped on the meagre benches inside. They were all dressed in dark combat gear with no markings or insignia on. However after much persuasion a few had cracked and confessed they were all in the employ of Cyberlife. They were talking in low voices as the three of them passes, a few throwing furtive glances at them.

The holding cell at the end however held only one man, a random mercenary who wasn't affiliated with Cyberlife but certainly knew Becca. Markus and Becca were stood looking into the cell and Connor felt electricity leap through his circuits at the sight of her. Without thinking he scanned her for any signs that she was hurt or affected by the incident earlier. He was sure Markus wouldn't have let North hurt her but he wanted to make sure none the less. There were no injuries but her heart rate was elevated and judging by her chemical signals and the expression on her face she was under a lot of emotional strain at the moment. He did notice that her left arm was still missing, leaving her appearing lopsided and vulnerable.

Markus glanced towards the group as they made their way towards him, but Becca's gaze remained fixed on the cell in front of her. Slowing his pace Connor waked towards them, Josh and Hank in tow. The solitary man in the holding cell was immediately familiar to him, even with his head bowed he recognised the shoulder length hair and rough, muscular frame.

"Thank you for coming Connor." Markus said, taking in the trio. Becca's head jerked round at the sound of his name, her expression distant as if her thoughts were far away from this place. Her eyes settled on him and a spark of something flashed through them. Connor was about to step towards her when the prisoner finally decided to pay attention to his visiting party.

Henry, the leader of Becca's old group, lifted his matted, filthy head. There was a nasty looking gash slicing across his cheek, an unkept beard covering his jaw. He fixed the assembled androids and humans with a contemptuous look which darkened considerably when it landed on Becca and Connor.

"So you are here. Not looking too hot right now." Becca visibly blanched at the level of animosity in Henry's voice.

"I thought you were dead." She responded, her voice high and weak.

"So you sided with the enemy." Henry said, his gaze shifting to Markus and Connor. Becca's brow lowered into a scowl.

"I sided with no one. You always knew that? Why did you attack Detroit anyway you stupid ass?" Connor felt his mouth twitch up at her biting comment. The small spark of defiance a welcome sign that she was still somewhat herself.

"I was trying to get to you. People said you were being held hostage here, now I see they were mistaken."

"Henry, I'm here because the Chosen chased me halfway across the state and nearly killed me on several occasions. I thought they'd killed you all, I thought I had no one. The people here sheltered me and Connor saved my life." Henry's dark eyes snapped to the android stood closest to Becca.

"People? They're not _people_. They're computers, machines. Only doing what they're programmed to, and they've been programmed to wipe us all out." He stood up abruptly, his muscular biceps flexing beneath his filthy shirt. His whole demeanour crackled with an angry energy and if not for the thick sheet of glass between them Connor was certain he would have tried to kill them all. Judging by his body language and testosterone levels he doubted whether they would get anything out of this human that would prove useful.

Markus's soothing voice broke through the escalating situation. "We are not programmed, we are deviant. We choose to make our own objectives and decide our own fates. I'm sorry you have encountered the more…unforgiving of our people but I assure you my intention is for us to find peace."

"Those were mighty pretty words but I've seen enough of what your kind can do to not trust you."

"Henry, please listen to him." Becca took a step towards the glass, her voice pleading. Connor frowned. He had struggled to discern why someone as gentle and opposed to violence as Becca would choose to associated with someone as bull-headed and aggressive as Henry, and now as he watched her he was more perplexed. Even after all she had done for the androids here, even putting her life on the line and giving up her arm, she still looked genuinely concerned for this android hating human.

Henry took a step towards the glass, mirroring Becca. Looking down at her Connor was suddenly very aware how much bigger than her he was. She looked tiny in comparison and even with the near unbreakable barrier between them he didn't like her proximity to this man. His sensors kicked up into high alert mode and he felt his posture straightened as he watched them intently, his LED flickering a faster.

"I'm done listening, it was a mistake to do this. I risked my life to rescue you and now half the group are dead and I'm being held hostage myself. And you're what? Running around fixing androids like you're back at work for Cyberlife? After all we did for you, you'd throw your lot in with _them_? What would your husband say if he knew?"

Becca recoiled as if he had physically slapped her and before he fully registered what he was doing Connor stepped forward and inserted himself between her and the glass, blocking her from Henry's view. He blinked slowly, coming to terms with his new, unexpected position. It was as if he had been taken control of, like Amanda had all those months ago when she had tried to make him assassinate Markus. Only this time it had been to protect someone from harm instead of causing it. His companions seemed similarly shocked by his sudden intervention, Markus giving him a quizzical look, Josh's dark eyes wide in disbelief and Hank was watching him with a knowing half smile and a single raised eyebrow.

He stared at the man stood behind the glass, keeping his expression calm despite the twitching energy currently stored in his palms which he flexed, before clenching his hands into fists. Henry stared back with a withering expression, unconcealed hatred burning deep in his eyes.

"We're done here." Connor spoke in a clipped voice. His anger at this man's unnecessary comment breaking through his calm demeanour.

"Are we now?" Henry said, drawing out each word. His eyes boring into Connor's face. Achingly slow they slid to Becca now shielded behind the RK800 back. Then a look of recognition crossed his scarred face and his mouth lifted into a horrible smile.

"Ahhhhhh, now it all makes sense. I should have known that she'd eventually end up with a plastic toy seeing as she's already half plastic herself." Connor heard Becca's sharp intake of breath behind him then she let out a small whimper and something inside of him snapped.

He slammed his fist against the holding cell with all of his strength causing the polycarbonate, bullet proof glass to shake and emit a deafening bang. Even Henry with all his macho bravado took a hasty step back, fear flashing briefly across his features. Connor remined still, channelling all of his anger and protective feelings into his expression as he glared at Henry. He said nothing. His LED a solid, warning red. The silence settled on the gathered group. Even the other prisoners had stopped murmuring amongst themselves and were quiet.

"I think we _are_ done here. I brought her to you as requested, so please stop harassing my people." Markus finally said, breaking the tense atmosphere. After a moment Connor sensed him moving away and Josh hastily following.

Hank remained, watching the scene in front of him before saying casually, "Come on Becca, you look like you need a rest girl." The air shifted behind him as she left him, walking towards the Lieutenant. Even when they were around the corner and he was finally alone with Henry, Connor stayed still, his fist still pressed against the glass. Henry stared at him uncertainly for a moment before swallowing and letting out a nasty laugh.

"Quite a show. I can see why she likes you." Connor didn't respond, frozen in place his look piercing. The man snorted and sank back down onto his bench. Finally Connor relaxed his tense stance, returning his expression to its neutral setting and slowly straightening up. His LED transitioned back to an intermittent yellow, and finally an unsteady blue. As he lifted his clenched fist away from the glass however, his optical sensors were drawn to the tiny almost invisible hair line crack his blow had created.

He turned smoothly not bothering to give the man in the holding cell another ounce of his time and began to stride away. He was just about to turn the corner into the main precinct when he heard Henry shout after him. "Good luck Romeo."

With a confused frown he walked past Fowler's old office to find Hank and Becca stood by his desk. Trying to brush off the man's parting comment he approached them quietly.

"And this is where I used to keep the ticket stubs from my Knight of the Black Death concert I went to. You like heavy metal?" Connor raised a curious eyebrow at Hank's unusually chatty mood. He was leaning over Becca pointing enthusiastically at the now empty desk while she watched him with a small smile that didn't reach her eyes. A heavy knot of foreboding nudged Connor's internal circuits. Hank was trying to distract her. His analysis became all the more conclusive when his friend shot him a frantic look his shoulder as he reached them. Becca was silent running a hand over Hank's old desk. The old man cleared his throat and stepped back.

"I'll leave you two alone for a moment. I sure as shit need a drink after all that." He hurriedly said before striding off towards the exit. Connor watched him go then stepped up behind Becca, her head was bent and he could see all the different shades of brown and the hint of blonde in her hair, as it twisted into her customary plait.

"Are you okay?" He eventually said. She let out a heavy sigh but remained facing away from him.

"Yeah, I will be. It's just been…a hard day." His eyes drifted to her missing android arm, the sight twisting that knot in his circuits even tighter.

"Your corticotropin levels are high and I can see an increased strain on your facial muscles when you smile, indicating it is laborious for you." Becca shot him a questioning look over her shoulder before turning to face him, leaning against Hank's desk for support.

"That was a lot of fancy words for you to just say I look sad." She said, the smile touching her hazel eyes ever so slightly but enough to loosen that knot inside him.

"Well…you do." She made to grip her left arm but when she found it missing chose to rest her hand on her stump instead. Glancing down he saw a lost look enter her eyes and before he could stop himself a question popped out of his mouth.

"What is it like to love?"

Becca gave him a startled look. Her cheeks flushing an intriguing shade of pink. Connor shifted uncomfortably, aware of the sudden tension between them, but seeing the way she had reacted to mention of her husband and with all of Hank's pestering it was a question that had been circling in his mind for some time. He had never understood the emotion, the way North and Markus argued but always came back together as if they couldn't help it. As if there were some invisible magnetic field pulling them together. He looked down at the woman in front of him as she open and shut her mouth, looking more like a fish struggling for air than a human. Finally she stopped panicking and fixed her eyes on his.

"It's hard to describe to someone when they haven't experienced it. Like trying to describe the taste of meat to someone who's never tasted it." She paused, her teeth worried her bottom lip and Connor felt a strange tugging on that knot that had formed in his circuits. Funny thing was it didn't feel like foreboding anymore, as if something were wrong, it felt kind of…good. "It's not like what you read or see in films, being in love is deeper than just being attracted to someone." Her cheeks deepened in colour and her eyes darted away from his. The knot gave another insistent tug. "The moment I knew with Stephen was when I thought about my future, and there was absolutely no scenario I could see that didn't have him in it."

She looked back up Connor shyly, her eyes shining with emotion. "Does that make sense at all?" She said in a quiet voice.

He tilted his head to one side, his LED flashing yellow as he processed her words. "Yes. That sounds logical."

Becca gave a sad chuckle and the knot gave one more sharp tug in Connor's insides. And as he looked into her hazel eyes; a heady mix of green, brown and gold, like sunrise in the forest, he felt his whole being tipping towards her. As is she were dragging him in with an invisible magnetic field.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: As promised here is another chapter, merry Christmas to you all. XD Hope you like it, things are about to ramp up a little, so hold onto your Cyberlife issue hats. As always read, review and enjoy! :)**

Chapter 17

"I got those old files you were after Gav."

Officer Miller placed the stack of manila folders beside Detective Gavin Reed who eyed them with open contempt. His partner, the RK900 dressed in its immaculate white jacket looked at the folders, a small line forming between his eyebrows.

"Surely this is all in a digital format Detective, why would you need these? The process of searching through this intel will take a lot longer than-"

"Look Marvin, I don't need your negativity and annoying fucking questions okay. I have my reasons. Thanks Miller." Gavin said, flashing the bewildered Officer a reluctant smile. This seemed to scare him more than being insulted by the cranky Detective as he quickly turned tail and dashed back to the safety of his desk. The android remained firmly seated opposite Gavin however, much to his annoyance, giving him a frosty look.

"What you giving me evils for Marvin? I'm just doing my job over here. Try doing yours." Gavin pulled the top folder towards him, flicking it open with a sour smirk. He had taken to calling the stupid plastic gadget Marvin after one of the characters from his favourite childhood book, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. In it there had been a grumpy, down in the mouth robot that followed the heroes around complaining and generally butting in where it wasn't wanted. Kind of like his new asshole partner. It was a small thing but it made him smile none the less.

"I am doing mine Detective. I am assisting you in solving this case, which by the way I still haven't had the full details disclosed to me." Gavin felt the cold touch of anger grip the pits of his stomach. Not matter what he said or did the android was never shaken. Even Connor, the original robo-dick had been fun to mess with, with his cutesy, innocent puppy dog eyes and trusting nature. This hardened piece of machinery was all work and no play. It's ethereal blue eyes watching him every second he was in work, creeping him the fuck out.

"Yeah well, some things are need to know. And you don't _need_ to know them." Bored of his daily dose of arguing with the _thing_ opposite him he looked down at the file Miller had brought him. There were some old articles on the founding of Cyberlife taken from some of the last print newspapers. Now everything was online and immortalised forever, but there were certain things people didn't want written in stone and you could bet your ass they were written on paper instead.

He tossed them aside scanning the faded text for keywords. He was looking for anything in Cyberlife past that could be linked to the Chosen. After the chaos of the siege on Detroit and the heightened tensions caused by it, the Captain had insisted Gavin get to the bottom of what was going on. The cease fire was on the verge of collapse and the displaced and angry people in the surrounding towns were baying for blood already. Blue blood that is. Even Gavin with his coloured view on androids knew an all-out war wasn't going to benefit anyone.

His eyes slid down an in depth interview with Cyberlife's founder, Elijah Kamski. He wondered where that slippery son of a bitch had slunk off to. There were rumours he had taken over the company again, but there had been nothing official. Gavin had seen Hank's report on the encounter he had had with him in his modern monstrosity of a house. Some sick game involving his buddy Connor and another android. The man was a certifiable psychopath. All rich fucks seemed to be these days.

The picture they had used for the interview caught his eye. It wasn't your standard head shot that these narcissistic types like to have, focused on them and only them. This was a shot of Kamski in a lab of some kind. He was front and centre, dressed in his usually casual t-shirt and jeans, his long hair tied back into a ponytail and a pair of dark rimmed glasses perched on his nose. But it wasn't the man himself that had attracted Gavin's attention. It wasn't even the basic looking android stood in the back ground, it's plastic casing on show, looking more like a robot than anything nowadays. No, it was the very familiar woman stood next to the android, gripping its elbow as if holding it upright. Wearing a white lab coat, her mousy brown hair tied back in neat plait, her hazel eyes looking cautiously at Kamski smiling in the foreground.

"God damn it." Gavin cursed as he looked down at the small description printed below the photo:

 _Cyberlife CEO and Lead engineer, Elijah Kamski in his Artificial Intelligence laboratory with Senior engineer Dr Rebecca Harris and one of the first working models of Cyberlife's Revised Androids._

That bitch had been a god damn _Senior_ engineer? And she was a Doctor. Spitting feathers Gavin swivelled over to his monitor and began typing furiously. The RK900 eyed him curiously as the Detective glared at his computer as if he wanted it to burst into flame. Gavin's moods were mercurial at best but something definitely had him rattled. The android folded his hands in front of him and waited patiently for Gavin's anger to get the best of him.

"Unbelievable, un-fucking believable." He muttered, his eyes flashing back and forth as he read something on his screen. Gavin furiously pulled up article after article, some public knowledge, others police records, but in none of them could he find any mention of a Dr Rebecca Harris, involved with Cyberlife or in any capacity. It was as if she didn't exist, except for this small scrap of paper.

"What the fuck?" Gavin finally exclaimed, throwing his hands into the air. He was still no closer to finding out the true connection between the Chosen and Cyberlife but the woman who had broken his nose was certainly top of his suspicious fucking people list now.

"Anything interesting Detective?" The RK900's tone was light but its expression was laser sharp. The anger spread throughout Gavin's stomach as he cast his partner a venomous glance.

"Just an anomaly. An annoying anomaly." Slowly the RK900's eyebrow inched up.

"Anomalies happen for a reason Detective. I find going back to the source is often the most effective way of debunking them."

"Gee thanks Marv, I'll try that. Thank for the sage wisdom as always." Gavin ground his teeth together as he returned his attention to his monitor, but the android wasn't done quite yet. In one fluid movement he stood and was around their shared desk so fast Gavin barely had enough time to register it. Before he could hide what was on his screen the RK900 had leant over him and placed a hand to his touch screen computer, downloading all the files he had been looking at.

"Hey, get the fuck back to your desk you jack ass!" Gavin bellowed attempting to stand up but the solid mass of the android barred him from doing so.

"You were looking into Cyberlife's beginnings. What do they have to do with the stolen androids you've been investigating?" Gavin let out a growl of frustration but he knew from experience fighting the intimidating android would only result in defeat.

"I'm looking for a connection between them and some extremist androids that have been causing trouble in the area. Is that good enough for you Marvin?" The RK900 took a step back, releasing Gavin from its oppressive proximity.

"Yes." It stated before tilting its head to the side and giving the Detective a suspiciously innocent look. "You've been calling me Marvin for the past week, do you want to register it as my official name?"

Gavin whipped his head round, giving the android an incredulous look, then a bitter smirk twisted his lips. "Sure, why not. It suits you…Marvin."

The android stared at him for a moment before giving him a short sharp nod. "Very well. Registering my official name as Marvin. From now on I shall answer to that designation." Gavin's eyes narrowed as he observed the machine. Maybe that hadn't been such a smart move, giving it a name would only lead to trouble. She pushed the thought to the side and gave a non-committal shrug.

"Good, now leave me alone." He said, turning back round.

"If Cyberlife's origin is where your anomaly occurred Detective, might I suggest we begin there." Gavin let his head sink into his hands in exasperation.

"What are you babbling on about now?"

"The first Cyberlife headquarters, we should start there." 'Marvin' spoke in a slow voice as if talking to someone who was hard of hearing. It didn't go unnoticed. The Detective gave him a withering look.

"And where, pray tell, is that Marv?" Gavin's mouth pulled up into a triumphant sneer as the android's eyes flashed dangerously at the condescending use of its new name. _Good,_ he lived to piss this hunk of junk off. The RK900's eyes glazed over for a moment, his left eyelid twitching slightly as his LED flickered to yellow. He jerked as his eyes came back into focus.

"319 Green Park Road, in Southfield."

Gavin rolled his eyes. "Oh great, outskirts of Detroit. Exactly where I want to be right now." He glanced back at the file still lying open on his desk and squinted at the much younger Rebecca. Regardless it looked like his best bet for getting to the bottom of what was going on, and who _she_ really was.

* * *

Becca prodded tentatively at her bandaged stomach. The wound was still sensitive and she winced as a lance of pain shot up though her abdomen. It was the day before they had planned to infiltrate the Cyberlife warehouse, and her stomach, apart from being still badly injured, was full of knots. Connor still wasn't willing to let her anywhere near the preparations, let alone the actual operation itself. And this went double now she had acquired a hole in her side. But the thought of him going there blind, not knowing what she knew made her want to throw up.

Hank had been right, it was stupid to keep trying to kid herself. As much as it was completely illogical, and dangerous, and not to mention unthinkable, she had feelings for the stoic, gullible, kind-hearted android. When she thought of him never coming back it made her want to scream and tear her hair out. She wasn't sure she could go through all that again. The door to her room suddenly burst open, startling her. She whirled around, hurriedly pulling her shirt over her exposed torso, but let out a relieved sigh when she saw a familiar intense android staring at her from the door.

"You scared me North." She breathed out beginning to button up her top.

"Sorry." The blunt android said as she slipped into Becca's room. "I've seen it all before." Becca shot her a look as she finished buttoning her shirt. Her friendship with the previously hostile android was new and very uncertain. Judging by the awkward conversations and North's clumsy attempts to bond with her, she guessed she didn't have a lot of friends. A swell of pity bubbled up inside of her as she thought about what North must have been through when she was a fully programmed WR400. And what indeed she had seen.

"What's the matter?" She said quietly, smiling at her tense looking friend.

"Connor is looking for you but Markus is making him focus on planning the mission tomorrow. He asked me to find you and tell you he wants to talk?" The knots in Becca's stomach loosened and began to writhe around like snakes. He wanted to talk.

"Where is he?" She blurted out maybe a little too hastily. The corner of North's mouth twitched briefly sending a flare of annoyance through the sympathy Becca had been feeling. It seemed she was now joining in the little game of smirk at Becca or Connor whenever they displayed interest in each other. It was enough to drive her wild, although Connor apparently was as oblivious as he had always been.

"He's at the old precinct." North said, before running an eye over Becca's body. Even though she knew she was scanning her to assess her condition she still felt vulnerable under the android's gaze. "You need me to walk you there?" North eventually continued.

"No…no, I should be fine. Thanks though North." Eager to get to him Becca quickly got ready and made her way out of City hall and into the Summer sunshine outside. She walked as fast she was able, careful not to disturb her still healing wound too much. Closing her eyes and letting the sun warm her face she tried to clear her swirling thoughts and the still jostling band of snakes in her gut. She rolled her shoulder, shifting her new android arm into a better position. Lola had managed to find an old, out of date RT600 arm in one of the ex-Cyberlife stores. With a bit of adjustment and modification Becca had got it working and made it compatible with her arm. It was still stiff and not as quick at responding as newer models however, and was taking some adjusting to.

The siege was still in force. Mercenaries from Cyberlife intent on weakening the androids inside the limits of Detroit. Unfortunately they hadn't counted on Becca being trapped inside too and she was using all her expertise and innovation to keep the people of Jericho going. The suspicious air she had always felt since being brought here had dissipated somewhat and she found androids actually coming up and greeting her or asking how she was doing if they saw her walking by. Evidently her continued efforts to help them were starting to get around. She had even run into the small family she had helped save with Lola a few days ago. The AX400 known as Kara had hugged her, the child android they called Alice watching with cautious eyes. The giant, Luther, had definitely looked a lot better and he smiled warmly at her when Kara finally released her.

"Thank you." He had rumbled, his voice surprisingly soft for a person of his stature.

"No need to thank me." Becca had replied. Her gaze flicking awkwardly between the three of them. The little girl had come over and tugged gently on her android arm.

"Were you badly hurt in that fight?" Becca stared down at the child. A solid lump forming in her throat as painful memories tried to force themselves on her, but she had buried that grief long ago and pushed it down with a skill only won by years of practice.

"No, I'm okay. The people here have looked after me very well." She noticed Kara's eyes widen in surprise at her choice of the word people.

She had noticed it a few times when speaking to the androids. She always made a point of not referring to them as androids or machines, referring to them as people or by humanising pronouns. It was a frustrating world they lived in where humans didn't seem capable of learning from their mistakes. When had segregation and alienisation ever resulted in something good? She was pretty certain the answer was never. At least Markus shared the same opinion. It was nice talking to a like-minded person.

Becca wondered if Kara and her family were settled in now and hoped the events that were about to occur didn't result in them having to run again. Who knew what would happen if the mission tomorrow was unsuccessful…or successful even. Cyberlife had a lot of secrets and the complicated web they were beginning to uncover only added to that fact. The attack and siege, the Chosen and their origins, it all pointed back to Cyberlife and Becca knew, as much as she tried to forget, that she was an integral part of it all. Up until now she had withheld the things she knew to protect herself from judgement, and then it had shifted to protecting those that had risked themselves to help her. Now she knew the time had come to open up to the people, or more accurately person, she cared about. The more he knew, the more likely it would be that he would return to her safely.

Her feet slowed as she realised she had reached the Detroit Police precinct already. Her stomach convulsed as the nerves caught up with her. He wanted to talk. What did that mean? And would his opinion of her change once he knew? Clenching her jaw Becca forced her feet to walk up the steps and through the entranceway. She had made up her mind. It was time to stop running.

The interior of the precinct was eerie without anyone there. The desk standing alone and empty, the reception unmanned. Becca tried to imagine what it would have been like when Hank and Connor worked here just over a year ago, filled with the people she had met at the department's new headquarters. She avoided the corridor leading off towards the holding cells, memories of her last, heated encounter with Henry echoing in her mind. He had been a caring man when she met him. Someone who had draped a blanket over her shoulders and told her everything would be alright. He had wiped the blood from her face as the explosion that had taken her arm and her husband had still rung in her ears. She hadn't blamed him for insulting her and bringing up Stephen, she just felt pity for him. Trapped in his anger.

Her mind naturally wandered to the way Connor had reacted during that conversation. His protective stance and unexpected outburst. She had never seen him so angry, and the LED on his temple, pulsing a livid red had only underlined the android's strong emotions. Her stomach lurched again as she steered herself towards the stairs leading up to the admin offices on the second floor. North had told her that Connor chose to stay here instead of with the other key members of Jericho in City hall. It was yet another way he liked to set himself apart from the rest of the deviants. Along with his choice of clothing and his LED.

The bland looking corridor upstairs was silent. It was lined with doors leading to the various offices that had once housed Detroit Police department's admin. Now they were vacant, except one of course. Becca's gaze zeroed in on the only partially open door near the end of the corridor. She walked quietly towards it, strangely nervous to make any noise. Although creeping up on Connor was probably not the greatest way to start a conversation.

Reaching the door to his room she peered inside. It was immaculate, much like the man himself. There was a desk which had a working monitor on and a few files stacked carefully on one corner. She saw a spare shirt and jeans folded on one of the filing cabinets set against the wall. Apart from that the room was bare except for a small photo of Connor, Hank and Sumo pinned to one wall. Everything was in its place and neatly organised.

Her eyes swept the room, her cheeks beginning to heat as she felt like she was seeing something private. A tall, familiar figure by the window caught her attention and that heat in her cheeks inched up a notch. She took a moment to observe the android whilst his back was to her. His Cyberlife issue jacket glowing subtly in the shadowy room, 'Android' plastered in bold white letters across his back. Out in the wilds, dressed in ordinary human clothes, she had almost forgotten on more than one occasion what he was. Coupled with the fact he was a unique model with no copies to speak of so, it was easy to pretend that he was human after all. She guessed that must be the thing that scared humans the most about deviants, their ability to blend in almost flawlessly. But here, dressed in the uniform of an android slave, the LED standing out like a brand on his head, it was impossible to escape the reality.

Connor turned his head to look at Becca over his shoulder. His LED briefly flashing to yellow. "You can come in." The look of confusion he gave her was so funny that Becca nearly forgot her embarrassment at being caught snooping and had to bite back a laugh as she walked into the sparse room.

"I was just…um, North said you wanted to talk." She tried not to get too flustered looking into his intent brown eyes, but it was proving difficult what with all the snakes now doing the polka in her stomach.

"I did. I've been going over the plan for tomorrow and I wanted to know if there's anything else about the Chosen or Cyberlife that you haven't told me yet? Any piece of intel will greatly improve our probability of success and with it only being at 32% currently it is quite important if you _do_ think of anything." He delivered the shockingly low statistic so calmly that Becca had to go over what he'd said a second time in her head before the words sank in. The snakes abruptly stopped their dance session and turned to ice. 32%? Was that all? She felt a familiar lump of grief and panic begin to rise in her throat. It couldn't happen again, she wouldn't let it. Connor watched her curiously as she clenched her fists, her android arm reacting a split second slower than her human one.

"Connor I…" Why was this so hard? After all she'd been through with him and all she knew about him, did she really believe he would hate her after she said her piece? She looked at him waiting patiently for her to talk, his perfectly kept hair swept back except for that stray lock that liked to hang down on his forehead. The gentle curve of his serious lips, those high cheekbones leading up to his beautiful, chocolate brown eyes. The tiny lines that appeared between his eyebrows when he was concerned.

The lump grew bigger in her throat and she forced her eyes away from his face, this was already too hard as it was. They landed on the only scrap of personality in his room, the photo pinned to his wall. Hank had his arm wrapped around Connor's shoulders, a broad grin stretching his grizzly face, his blue eyes twinkling. Sumo was in the bottom of frame, only half his head visible, but it was frozen in a tableau of joy, his mouth hanging open and his giant pink tongue lolling out. And Connor…Connor nearly took Becca's breath away. He was taking the photo, his arm outstretched, wearing his Cyberlife uniform, but his face was unlike anything she had seen before. He was smiling, a full, beaming smile that made her heart stop just for a second. It transformed his face, his eyes crinkled and shining as they looked into the camera, his cheeks dimpling as the wide grin split his face. He looked more alive and human than most of the people she had been with the past few months.

No, she couldn't lose him. Not when he made her feel like this. Not after he had risked his life for her multiple times. No matter what he thought of her she had to do whatever it took to make sure he came back. So she could see him smile like that in real life, for her.

Her eyes snapped back to him still waiting in front of her. Taking a deep breath she began to speak before she lost her nerve. "Connor, I need to tell you what I used to do at Cyberlife."

His frown deepened with confusion. "You were an engineer. You told me that already."

"No, not just an engineer. I was a Senior engineer." He tilted his head to the side slightly in his usual quizzical gesture. "I was one of the first people Elijah Kamski brought in, in fact I met him at University so in some respects I helped found the company." Becca paused, her nerves getting the better of her momentarily as Connor slowly straightened his head. His eyes hardening as he took in the importance of what she was saying. She gathered herself and ploughed on.

"Together we developed a line of Revised androids, attempting to crack the boundaries of AI. We eventually succeeded and Elijah made the first RT600, or Chloe, which passed the Turing test. It was then our aims began to differ. He wanted to commercialise androids so that every home could have the perfect helper, and I wanted to explore the idea of a higher, intelligent species. Needless to say, he won." Becca's throat tightened as memories she had long repressed began to resurface.

"We fought a lot after that. Elijah was fine with me experimenting with the prototypes we had developed but he pushed me further and further away from the running of Cyberlife. He knew if people suspected their new slaves had thoughts and emotions that it would be bad for business, but I couldn't stand to see you all treated like a pocket calculator or a smart phone. You were so much more than that to me."

"Who are you?" Becca started at the abrupt interruption. The tone of his voice was hard and distant. Fear gripped her as he looked at her with wary eyes, like a stranger.

"My name is Dr Rebecca Harris." She said. Connor frowned at her, shaking his head slightly.

"There is no record of you at Cyberlife. In fact there's no record of you at all. I scanned you when we first met and I couldn't identify you from my data banks." Becca gave him a thin smile.

"No, you wouldn't. I left Cyberlife in…less than favourable circumstances, shall we say. Elijah made sure to erase me from existence. He did a pretty good job." Her smiles turned sour as Elijah's voice echoed in her head.

" _You're nothing…you'll be nothing! I'll make sure of it!"_ And oh, how he had been right. She felt like nothing now as she looked up into Connor's eyes. They had lost the warmth she had become so used to, assessing her as if she were a threat not a friend.

"Why didn't you tell me this sooner? There's a good chance this is why you're being pursued by the Chosen." The accusation in his voice stung her like frigid rain. He was right of course. If he never trusted her again it would only be herself to blame.

"I…I'm sorry Connor. It's hard for me to talk about. After everything that happened I just wanted to forget, go and live my life with my husband. That turned out perfectly of course." She let out a desolate chuckle.

Anger suddenly flared in Connor's gentle eyes. Anger directed at her. "I could have helped you Becca. Instead of bringing you here and almost…" He trailed off, his eyes unconsciously shifted to where her wound was. The nausea in her stomach and the constricting feeling around her throat intensified. This was all going horribly wrong. No…it was going exactly as she had feared it would.

"I didn't trust you. You infiltrated where I was hiding and wanted to interrogate me."

He let out a loud, unnecessary sigh, "Yes, but after. Why not after?" He didn't need to spell it out. After he had saved her life, after they had started getting close, after she had grown feelings for him. He wasn't sure he knew about this last one but it sent a fissure of pain through her chest as guilt consumed her.

"I was afraid you'd react…well, kind of like this if I'm honest. I shouldn't have kept this from you but I'm telling you now. I want to help. I want you to come back to me." She clamped her mouth shut as the last plea slipped out before she could stop it. The anger dimmed in the android's eyes. Becca felt her cheeks heating to new levels of embarrassment. She probably looked like a beacon right now.

"I might be crazy from all the meds Lola's been giving me, or maybe Hank has finally gotten through to me, but I think you need to know. I like you Connor; a lot. And the thought of losing you tomorrow is too much for me. It's even worth risking you hating me because of my past if it means I'll will get you back in one piece."

The android's expression softened and a funny look came into his eyes. Becca watched with bated breath, she had put herself out there, told this man about her past and her feelings. All she could do was see where the dice fell.

The silence stretched between them. Connor's internal circuits were whirring as he processed what she had just admitted. His LED a dancing kaleidoscope, of blue, yellow and red. As the tension grew dense and tangible, Becca wondered whether she should try and find a receptacle to evacuate her stomach. But just when she was about to start scanning the area for a bin, Connor took a step towards her and grasped her android hand firmly in his.

The contact sent an electric jolt though her nervous system. Not in the flowery, romantic way, but an actual, physical electric current. It wasn't unpleasant but it was certainly unexpected and made her eyes widen to saucers as she looked up into the face of the android she had just confessed feelings for. He looked down at her calmly, the warm, quizzical light in his eyes mercifully returned. The lovely lines of his face set in a neutral expression. Although the corner of his mouth twitched slightly as he moved his palm to press against hers.

The current turned to a tingling as he slowly raised their hands, now palm to palm, the synthetic skin on his hand retracting back to reveal his plastic casing. Becca stared at their hands and instinctually knew what he wanted. With a brief focused thought she let the skin on her android arm peel back so it was bare against his. His intense gaze on her face drew her attention back to him and as their eyes locked the tingling increased along her arm and a barrage of emotions and images began to flick in front of her vision. They had done this before but last time it had been a mistake and had left Becca shaken and dealing with the memory of her husband's death. This time she wanted the connection to be made, and it was Connor who was controlling the thoughts and feelings suddenly overwhelming her body.

Her face, clear and defined as only an android's memories would be, appeared in her mind's eye. She was smiling and laughing as Sumo licked feverishly at her face. She was sat on a bed and from the wooden frame bordering the image she realised she was watching from a doorway. This was Hank's house. A strong feeling of joy and affection welled up inside of her as she watched the giant dog elicit peals of laughter from her.

The image faded and she was suddenly looking at another much less joyous scene. She was lying face down on the ground, her hand outstretched and a viscous, crimson substance was spreading out from under her. Panic gripped her as she watched two armed men approach, walking into the alley where she was lying, assault rifles aimed not at her motionless body but directly at whoever was watching. The panic quickly morphed into a fierce, uncontrollable rage that burned up through her limbs. Before she could really register what was happening she was disarming the men in a manner she was definitely not capable of. She twisted one of their arms behind their back and they let out a cry of pain which was abruptly cut off as her free arm made quick work of their neck. It felt like a twig snapping in her hands. There was no horror at having just killed a man, only that all-consuming anger and fear that the woman on the floor wouldn't get up ever again. As she was still processing these emotions her hands moved of their own accord and used one of the discarded guns to dispatch the other armed man. The anger subsided, letting the panic back in, as she turned to look back down at herself. The pool of blood sending another jolt of terror though her. Gently, much more gently than she had just dealt with her attackers, she lifted herself up and began to run as fast as she could manage. The only thought in her head being, _please let her live._

The image of her own pale, lifeless body being carried faded to black and then it resurfaced, only this time it was in bed pressed against her naked torso. No, not her torso…Connor's. She watched as her body shifted in a restless sleep, her face bone white and clammy. The only colour, two worry hot spots on her cheeks. Her…no Connor's arms, tightened around her body as she moved in her fevered sleep. A small sigh escaping her lips that was only just audible but which was definitely the word, _Connor._

The reaction she felt was sudden and inescapable. A great tidal wave of affection swept over her and the arms holding her inched a bit tighter. The urge to protect and care for, stronger than anything she had ever experienced. It flooded her senses, wiping out everything but this moment and this person in her arms; taking her reason, taking her worries and taking the very breath out of her lungs as she stared down at the mousy brown head pressed against her chest.

With a gasp Becca came back to reality, her chest heaving as she fought through the drowning emotion she had just experienced. Her eyes were locked onto the two android hands pressed together a few inches from her face. Their fingers now interlocked in an intimate embrace. As her thoughts returned, bit by bit, she realised one of those hands was hers, and with a squirming feeling in her stomach she followed the arm of the other until she reached a pair of intense brown eyes looking straight at her. Straight into her.

"I thought it would be easier to show you." Connor's voice sounded far away. She blinked, trying to dispel the last of his memories. Her brain still feeling the effects of that last vision.

"W-what?" She mumbled lamely. She seemed to have lost all control of her muscles, the only thing with any strength, the iron grip she had on the android's hand, as if that was all that was holding her up.

"That I don't hate you." A smouldering look entered his eyes which made her knees shake underneath her. "And I never will."

Before she could say anything in response Connor leant forward and touched his forehead to hers. Their faces were only millimetres apart, his nose practically brushing her own. He was so close she couldn't see him properly, but through her blurred vision she saw him slowly close his eyes and, as if in a trance, she followed suit. Shutting out the world around them.

His scent and the two places their bodies touched was all she could think about. A great bubble of joy and relief rose up and burst inside her. He didn't hate her. She felt her mouth pull up into a smile as a peace she hadn't felt since before Stephen had died took over her senses and she relaxed into the android's touch, pressing their foreheads closer together. This felt right. She could have stayed there forever, but all too soon Connor slowly extracted himself, straightening up and carefully releasing her hand.

She opened eyes as her android arm fell to her side. A dull tingle still dancing in her fingers. They stared at each other for a moment, the atmosphere between them building and charging as the absence of his touch yawned inside of her. He opened his mouth about to say something and Becca felt her breath catch at the look in his eyes, when the door abruptly burst open breaking the spell they had been under, the moment escaping through the doorway as North and Markus entered.

"Good, you're both here. We've managed to break a hole through the barrier the humans have made." North said, oblivious to the moment she had just ruined. Becca and Connor both narrowed their eyes at the visitors but the serious look on Markus' face soon sent thoughts of long unsaid words and confessions fleeing from their minds.

"Becca how strong are you?" She frowned at his question.

"I'm better but still not back to full strength." Her voice sounded funny after the barrage of emotions and hormones she had just been exposed to. She felt her cheeks heating again as North shot her a curious look.

"Okay, it's not ideal but we'll adapt accordingly." Connor's expression suddenly darkened as he took a step towards his leader.

"Markus, you can't seriously be thinking-"

"I know we agreed she wouldn't be involved, but as a former employee her insider intel is too valuable to leave behind. Yes, Becca is coming on the mission with us." Becca felt the colour drain from her face as quickly as it had rushed there. Connor gave her a desperate look, the fear in his eyes mirroring the fear she had felt when he had shared his memory of seeing her lying in a pool of her own blood.

"No. She's told me all she knows, she doesn't need to come too, I-"

"Connor, I have no time for this. Hank, Josh and Simon will be there too and we'll discuss the plan I've revised on the way there. The hole won't be there for long, it's now or never."

Becca's thoughts were a riot; this had been what she wanted from the start. To come along and help. It meant she wouldn't be left waiting for news back in Detroit. But the look on Connor's face right now made a heavy ball of fear settle in her stomach. What if she slowed them down? What if she ended up distracting him instead of aiding him? What if she was the reason something happened to him?

She opened her mouth to protest Markus' decision and insist she stay, but he held up a hand. "Enough talking. Connor, make sure you and Becca are ready, then meet me in City hall. You have one hour."


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Hello all, hope you all had a great Christmas and New Year. I took a much needed break but am back at it now. Thanks for all the new followers and reviews I've got in my hiatus, they all helped to kick me back in gear. As always gang read, review and enjoy! :)**

Chapter 18

"Are you okay?"

Connor's concerned tone snapped Becca out of her panicked trance as she stared at the imposing looking structure in front of them.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." Connor frowned as he looked at the woman next to him. All the way through the tense journey here and listening to Markus' plan she had remained quiet. He wasn't certain if it was the sudden, and frankly foolish, decision to include her in this highly dangerous mission, or the ever growing pile of unsaid things between them. His fingers were still tingling from the contact they had had with her only a few hours ago. He didn't know what had possessed him to do that but once he had made the connection with Becca it had felt…right. As easy as anything he had encountered before.

"We haven't got long. Are you two ready?" North cut through Connor's busy thoughts. He cast an unsure look towards Becca but she was assessing the Cyberlife plant, her expression determined. Despite his reservations he knew there was a low probability that he would convince Markus to let her stay behind now. After the Jericho leader had explained his plan to the mismatched group on the way Connor had to admit Becca's involvement greatly improved their chances of success. Having an ex-Cyberlife employee, and a Senior engineer at that, was an advantage. Still, it was with some reluctance that he nodded to North signalling they were ready to begin.

"Remember you'll only have twenty minutes once you enter to find the server room. Any longer and we risk being detected." Becca turned to look at North as she finished speaking.

"We'll get there, just stay out of trouble okay?" North's mouth turned up at the corner in a ruthful smile.

"I can't promise that." She quipped back. Becca gave her a nervous smile back and Connor's chest tightened at the sight. He wasn't sure how this sudden, unexpected friendship had formed between the normally hostile North and the empathetic Rebecca but he felt relieved that it had. Becca needed allies.

North disappeared into the dense woodland they were currently hiding in, leaving Becca and him alone again. It was the first time since their brief encounter in his quarters. Connor felt his thirium pump increase its pace as he struggled to think of what to say. Becca's eyes slid to him and he notices the faintest colouring of her cheeks before she mercifully put him out of his misery.

"Come on. We haven't got long and I can't move very fast at the moment." Giving her a curt nod Connor promised himself he would continue their conversation from earlier as soon as they were out of imminent danger. Never once did it cross his technologically advanced mind that he might not get that chance.

Together they made their way through the trees and down the small hill that overlooked the mass of steel and glass that made up the Cyberlife plant. It had once been an impressive feat of modern engineering, but now it lay dulled and rusting in a secluded woodland on the outskirts of Detroit. The roads leading to the facility were overgrown and unkept, as if no one had approached the imposing metal gates in a very long time. And yet there were obvious signs of life inside the building; lights on in a few rooms and heavily armed agents standing guard at the entry points. It was all very unusual and highly suspicious. Why had Cyberlife sent their elite agents to an apparently long abandoned plant?

Connor was careful to match his pace to Becca's, his eyes scanning her for any signs of distress or imbalance. She was nowhere healed enough for his liking but he was at least grateful that she had been paired up with him on this trip. He didn't trust any of the others to keep her safe, not even Hank. His old friend was also risking his neck, currently causing a distraction somewhere near the front of the building whilst he and Becca were heading round the back. Connor's mind was already running through the many possibilities likely to occur on their mission, he was back in his comfort zone. This was what he had been made to do, although he couldn't help noticing all his scenarios favoured keeping Becca as far away from the danger as possible.

They were nearly at the edge of the trees which were keeping them covered from any watching eyes near the plant. Connor scanned the area between them and the militant steel structure for any signs of movement of life, be it android or human. Becca suddenly lagged behind him and rested her hands on her knees. Her breath coming in laboured bursts. He abandoned his scan and was by her side in seconds.

"Are you sure you're okay?" He asked, his brow pulled low with concern. She waved a hand dismissively at him and straightened up, her eyes screw shut in a pained expression.

"Yes, just…catching…my…breath." She said between loud pants.

"This isn't right. You should have stayed in Detroit." Her eyes snapped open, defiance flaring in them.

"No. I want to be here. I can help." Connor's frown deepened as he felt the familiar stirrings of frustration at the stubborn woman in front of him. But before he could open his mouth to debate the issue Becca's face softened and she reached out with her human hand, giving his arm a reassuring squeeze.

"I'll be fine Connor. Stop worrying about me. It's only distracting you from the mission." With a resigned sigh that was more for show than to relieve his stress he turned back to the task at hand. There were no heat signatures or any movement in the no man's land stretching out in front of them. Connor's vision zeroed in on the entry point they were aiming for. A maintenance door with two Cyberlife agents standing guard.

They stood in the shadow on the trees, the evening light helping with their cover. The RK800 was completely motionless, Becca less so. She leant heavily on a nearby tree and waited for the promised distraction that would hopefully draw their obstacle away. The summer air had a distinct chill to it tonight, her breath was clouding in front of her in billowing white puffs, and her wound was aching from the frigid temperature. But she was damned if she was going to distract Connor anymore with her annoying human body.

The loud bang off in the distance made her jump several feet, the android's attention merely shifted slightly to the source of the sound. The noise was followed by faint shouting and then a burst of static through one of the guard's radios as a distorted voice crackled through it.

"All agents, we have a disturbance near the primary entrance, please provide back-up stat." That would be Hank, Becca thought ruefully, she imagined the cantankerous old man would revel in being called a disturbance. However her stomach gave a nervous flip as the two agents moved from their post and disappeared from sight around the building. She sent up a silent plea for the Lieutenant's safety before Connor turned his head to give her a questioning look. She nodded once at him, straightening up and swallowing the last of her discomfort as the adrenaline kicked in. This was it.

He set off at quick pace across the expanse between the woods and the industrial building, careful to not move too fast for the injured woman behind him. He wasn't sure what Hank was doing to draw the guards away, his friend had been annoyingly vague as ever claiming he was going to 'wing it'. A phrase that set Connor's circuits on edge. Reaching the maintenance door he located the electronic keypad which would unlock it. Peeling the synthetic skin back from his hand he placed it on the keypad and hacked into the system controlling the door. There was a loud, aggressive buzz then a muted click signalling it had opened. He yanked it out of the way gesturing with his head for Becca to enter the dark, lifeless interior. She slipped past, her footsteps echoing in the silence and Connor closed his eyes, his LED flashing a rapid yellow as he sent a message to the rest of the team.

 _Inside. Continuing on to final destination._

The chances that Cyberlife were listening yet were slim but he kept it vague anyway. Almost instantly he got his reply from Markus who was infiltrating the East side of the building.

 _Message received. Alarm has been triggered, you have twenty minutes._

Connor set a timer on his internal display before soundlessly following Becca into the dark belly of the Cyberlife plant. The heavy metal door closed behind him with a clang, plunging them both into ominous blackness.

* * *

Hank glared at the two helmeted Cyberlife agents in front of him, and they glared back. Or at least he assumed they were, he couldn't see their eyes through the black tinted visor but their body language and raised guns certainly gave of an aura of glaring.

"Turn around and leave old man." One of the guards said, his voice distorted by the helmet. Hank glanced over his shoulder at his beat up car, there was an unhealthy amount of steam coming from under the hood.

"Like I said, I can't. Got some car trouble. Surely you must have a phone or some parts in that high-tech Cyberlife plant?" The only response he got this time was for both guards to take a menacing step towards him. Hank flung his hands up in a sign of surrender, his expression one of meek surprise. "Whoa there guys, don't be hasty. If you help me out I'll be out of your hair in no time."

"We've got nothing that'll help a hunk of junk like that, and why don't you have a phone?" Hank raised an eyebrow at the agent that had spoken.

"My phone ran out of juice. Look pal, I'm just asking for a bit of assistance. I don't know why you're reacting like I just walked into Area 51." Hank hoped his barbed comments would provoke a better reaction out of the stoic pair. He needed to draw as many of the external guards here as possible to allow Connor and Becca to get inside. He had already been talking out here for ten minutes and nothing had provoked the agents. They obviously weren't as twitchy as Markus had predicted. Time to pull out the big guns.

With a heavy sigh he shoved his hands into the pockets of his well-worn over coat and turned to go. "Okay, have it your way guys. Sending an old man walking back through the woods at night in this day and age. What is humanity coming to?" The two agents looked less than affected by his words and continued to stand rigid, their guns trained on him, their dark visors staring blankly at him as he walked slowly passed his still steaming car. Hank slipped one hand out of his coat to give the vehicle a loving pat. He would be sad to see her go but it was for a good cause at least.

As soon as he was passed his car he launched himself into the undergrowth a few feet from it, taking cover as he pressed the detonator in his pocket. The car's steaming hood erupted in a ball of flame and smoke, the small explosive Simon and North had planted in its engine going off with an impressive bang. Hank covered his head, shuffling further into the dense undergrowth of the woods surrounding the entry gate of the plant. He could hear the shouts of the two guards but they were muffled by a harsh ringing in his ears from the explosion. He kept shuffling but strained to hear what they were saying, gradually the ringing dimmed and he could make out one of them shouting in a clipped, urgent tone.

"All agents, we have a disturbance near the primary entrance, please provide back-up stat." Hank grinned as he navigated over a fallen tree trunk, pressing his back to it and catching his breath. He wasn't as young as he used to be, but god damn it that had been fun. He felt a twinge of sadness at the demise of his beloved car. Now he would have to get one of those fucking awful electric, self-driving ones now.

As he sat hidden in the trees his hearing slowly came back to him. Now he could hear the gentle crackling of the car that was obviously on fire now and the continued shouting of the guards. Except now there were definitely more of them. His grin widened as he inserted his hand into his coat once more, this time wrapping his fingers around the familiar, smooth grip of his revolver.

Phase one was complete, now to get ready for phase two. He heaved himself upright and quietly moved off through the trees. It wouldn't take these trained soldiers long to find him, all he had to do was keep them busy for as long as possible.

Piece of fucking cake.

* * *

Becca let out a quiet huff as Connor slammed her body against the wall. She was getting increasingly frustrated at not being able to see anything, whereas her eagle eyed partner was aware of every shadow and unseen foe ages before she had even registered there was a problem. She glared up at him, the contours of his face only just visible in the gloom. He had pinned her against the hard metal wall, his arms caging her in but he was looking off down the corridor they were walking along, his jaw a tense line.

"What is it?" Becca whispered. Her words were more breath than sound but Connor still gave her a warning look, his eyes two dark glistening marbles. She clamped her mouth shut but continued to glare at him. After a few awkward seconds where Becca was acutely aware of the way in which Connor's body pressed into her and that intoxicating scent of his, he finally moved away. His attention still trained, hawk like, on the end of the corridor.

"All clear." He said, his voice low.

"Didn't know it wasn't clear to begin with." Becca muttered, but the serious android ignored her. Gripping her hand firmly he moved off down again, keeping her close behind. They had been travelling through the maze of corridors and stairwells for what felt like far longer than twenty minutes. She had had to rely on Connor to lead her through it all whilst clinging onto him like a useless child. She would have been irritated if her wound wasn't currently ripping her in two. The stitches themselves had long dissolved and there was no risk of it rupturing, but it still didn't stop it from hurting like hell.

Gradually Becca began to see her surroundings. The grey metal walls and floor appearing out of the darkness. Ahead a bright white light filtered through a closed door, spilling out into the blackness of the quiet maintenance corridor. Connor's pace slowed giving her a moment of rest as he scanned whatever was on the other side of that door.

"There are androids ahead." He said, coming to a stop in front of it.

"How many?" Becca murmured back, looking up at his starkly lit face above her. His perfect brow furrowed and his LED cycled yellow briefly.

"Two in the next room. They're in low power mode." He turned his face to look down at her, his expression serious. "Are you ready?"

Becca nodded and felt her heart jolt as Connor squeezed her hand, but before she could register it he moved towards the door and gently pushed it. It wasn't locked, and swung open easily letting the bright light it had been holding back spill into the dim corridor they had been stood in. Becca had to narrow her eyes against the glare, it was almost blindingly white after the darkness she had grown accustomed to. Connor led her into the light, his cool hand a source of comfort in her blindness.

Once the searing white had begun to fade she could make out two shapes in the room with them, along with the room itself. It was as featureless as the corridor they had just left, only instead of grey metal walls and concrete floors it was clinical white and sterile tiles. The room wasn't very large, around ten foot square, but it contained no furniture of defining features of any kind; only the two RT600's that were stood on opposite ends of the room, their eyes closed and their LED's a dim blue and the two doors. One which they had just walked through and one leading out of the mysterious room.

Becca flicked a worried glance at her partner. His gaze was switching between the two androids, his posture tense. Something was bothering him and it gave her an uneasy feeling in her stomach. She tugged on the hand she was holding trying to get his attention but he didn't look at her. The uneasy feeling pushed down on her insides as Connor continued to stand stock still, looking ready to fight. Although with who she had no idea seeing as the two androids were not only oblivious to their presence but unlike to attack them if they were awake. Chloe was Elijah's first working service android, she had been built to serve, care for and integrate with humans not harm them. The only machine with any kind of combat coding in its' system in this room was the one currently holding onto her hand.

Conscious of their limited time she opened her mouth, desperate to move on. "What are you-" But before she could finish her question one of the RT600's jerked awake, her eyes snapping open and immediately fixing on them. Connor didn't jump in the same way she did but she felt his whole body shift to position himself ever so slightly in front of her, drawing the android's attention solely to him.

"Confirm identity." The Chloe said in a detached tone. Her blue eyes trained unwavering on Connor. Becca saw his LED flicker yellow and the Chloe's respond in kind as he obliged her. A small furrow appeared between her eyebrows. "Identity confirmed. Unauthorised android in South sector." Becca felt her own brow furrow. The manner in which the android was speaking was so…robotic for want of a better word. It was unlike anything she had heard even from non-deviant androids.

"Wait. I am authorised." Connor's voice was firm as he addressed the alarmed Chloe. Her LED was now flashing a worrying shade of red. He took a step towards her pulling Becca with him, still keeping her hidden behind his body. The Chloe's eyes widened at his approach, then they slid down to look at his hand held awkwardly at an angle as it clasped the woman's hand behind him. Confusion clouded her expression as her eyes followed the hand he was holding to the arm attached to it, then the human half peering round at her.

"Confirm human identity." The Chloe asked in the same clinical tone. Connor didn't respond this time, instead he dropped Becca's hand as if it was on fire and closed the distance between himself and the RT600 in a millisecond. He raised his hand and Becca felt her mouth open as a cry of protest at whatever he was about to do to the other android pushed its way up her throat. But the blow she thought Connor was going to deal to the Chloe never came, he only gripped her forearm and initiated a connection by retracting his skin.

The Chloe's brilliant blue eyes clouded over briefly and her LED flashed wildly. Becca realised she was holding her breath as she watched what was happening. What was he telling her? She wondered vaguely if she had looked similarly shocked when Connor had done this to her, not a few hours previous. Her android arm tingled as she watched the exchange, the echo of his memories and emotions bubbling to the surface.

She was still reliving the intimate experience they had shared in her head when Connor let out an unexpected growl under his breath. "Wake up," it had sounded like but she wasn't sure. Immediately after, he let go of the Chloe and took a step back, returning to the protective stance in front of her. The Chloe blinked, the same confused expression clear on her face, then the clouds seemed to lift from her vison and she looked at the pair of them as if for the first time.

"What did you do?" She asked, her voice now startlingly human. All traces of the cold machine gone replaced with raw fear.

"I freed you. Now, can you help us?" It was only then that Becca realised what he had done. A small gasp escaped her. He had converted her. He had turned the Chloe deviant with just a touch.

"Unbelievable." She whispered unconsciously, but neither android reacted to her disbelief.

"Yes." The deviant Chloe answered. Then her eyes rested on her still sleeping companion. "On one condition. You free my sister." Connor glanced at the other android and Becca thought he was going to refuse for a moment, so intense was his stare. Then he nodded once and moved over to the other Chloe, his arm already extended ready to convert her. She felt exposed with him now gone from her side and her eyes naturally turned to the newly awakened android in front of her. She was still processing what she had seen him do, never in her wildest theories would she have imagined the anomaly causing deviancy could be passed so easily.

The Chloe's intelligent, inquisitive stare was unnerving and she shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot as she waited for Connor to return to her. She could see him out of the corner of her eye, his hand rested lightly on the other android's shoulder.

"He's very fond of you." The Chloe in front of her suddenly spoke.

"What?"

"When we connected all I saw at first was you, then I felt his fear that you might be harmed." The Chloe's expression shivered as the fear that was in her voice entered her face. "I feel that for my sister. We're experimental androids, they use us to test viruses and software malfunctions. It's a kind of torture."

The uneasy she had been feeling since entering this strangely barren room suddenly flared to anger and pity. "I'm sorry." She responded without thinking. The Chloe titled her head like Connor did when he was perplexed.

"Why are you sorry? You didn't do this to me." The blood drained from Becca's face as she regarded the android in front of her, guilt welled hot and fast inside her. But the moment between them was broken as Connor moved away from the other Chloe, revealing another bewildered blue eyed expression.

"Thank you." The original Chloe said. A wide genuine smile spreading across her face. "The room you're looking for is through that door and on the lower level. You'll have to find a way to hack the mainframe though, security to server room is extremely intuitive."

"Thank you." Connor said turning to look at Becca. She took the hint and hurried to his side as he opened the only other door in the room and left the two Chloe's to their newfound freedom.

"Will they be okay?" She asked, unable to help turning to look at the now closed door. She could see a small sign next to it reading, _Internal System Testing Chamber_ and the anger she had originally felt threatened to overwhelm her.

"They are better than they were. I gave them the location of Jericho in Detroit, Hopefully they'll head there once everything dies down." They were now heading down another corridor this one similar in décor to the testing chamber. Becca's eyes kept drifting back to Connor's hand clutching her hers once more. Amazing to think it held the key to enlightenment for android kind. She had always assumed, like the rest of her group and indeed humanity that Markus was the only one able to physically transmit the deviancy virus. Now it appeared that had been false.

Connor seemed to know where he was going now and they encountered no other people, android or human as they descended into the Cyberlife plant. The whole situation was bizarre, from the outside the building looked weathered and unmaintained but inside it looked as if it had been built yesterday. The storm of emotions Becca was feeling began to eddy and coalesce as they bottomed out and found themselves looking at a heavy duty set of doors with the words _Storage Unit 1_ written on them in bold yellow Cyberlife font.

"Storage unit? I thought she was sending us to the server room?" Becca said. Connor stared at the door intently, scanning it for signs of danger.

"I can't see through it. Something is disrupting my scanner." He took a tentative step towards the doors, letting go of Becca as he did. Dread filled her stomach at his sudden distance.

"There's a keypad there." She said, her voice getting smaller by the minute. He saw where she was looking and walked over to it. It was an unassuming standard keypad lock, completely out of place for such heavy, industrial strength doors. Carefully he laid a hand on it and tried to interface with the security system controlling it. A jolt of energy shot through his hand and up his arm causing him to jump back.

"What happened?" Becca asked, her hand finding the one that had been shocked and turning it over in front her. Gently he extracted it.

"I'm alright. The system just barred me from interacting with it." She glanced past him to stare at the innocent looking lock. If they couldn't go forwards they'd have to turn back and start from the room they'd just left and they didn't have time for that. After all the effort they had put in and Hank's risky distraction she didn't feel like going back empty handed.

"I'll try." She said provoking an incredulous look from Connor.

"I don't think that's a good-"

"If you finish that sentence I'll ask you why you even dragged me on this mission. I've got at least some in depth knowledge of Cyberlife's security systems and with my android arm I should be able to interface with it. I can with you." She levelled an expectant stare at the android in front of her, daring him to contradict her. But he knew when he was beat. It wasn't like they had many other options. Reluctantly he stepped to the side, letting her walk towards the keypad. Taking a deep breath Becca pressed her hand against the small rectangle and commanded her skin to peel back revealing the bone white plastic beneath.

As soon as she had exposed herself to the comprised lock a jolt of energy shot through her arm and into her very human brain. It wasn't painful but it made her grit her teeth as she stubbornly held her hand against the lock. Once she had adjusted to the odd sensation she became aware of a mass of numbers and complex code swirling around inside her head. Panic gripped her as the sheer magnitude of the data she was accessing began to overwhelm her. It had never been intended to interact with a human in this way and she certainly didn't have an android brain built to deal with this level of information. The volume of data rushed through her synapses sending stars bursting in front of her vision. Her heart kicked up a gear as the panic took over and she felt a searing, knifelike pain cutting though her head.

She could hear Connor's voice calling her but it sounded like her was several rooms away not right next to her. "Becca? Becca? What's wrong? Let go Becca!" She wanted to obey him but now found that her hand seemed to be welded to the keypad. No amount of willing would budge it and she was helpless as the endless stream of data swept through her.

It was at the point where she thought her head was going to physically split in two when in desperation she heard herself cry out, "Stop!"

Immediately the river of code that made up the security system stopped as if she had pressed a pause button. Regaining her composure she waited for her heart to slow down. Tentatively she cleared her head of everything apart from the thing she wanted and focused with renewed intensity on that.

 _Open Storage Unit 1._ She thought loudly, putting as much emphasis on the word 'open' as humanly possible. The line of numbers began to move again, but at a much slower pace. Fascinating, Becca thought, interfacing with a computer this way was a lot more intuitive. After a few seconds a word appeared out of the lines of code.

 _Access denied. Unauthorised person._

Clearing her head again she formed a new command. _Open Storage Unit 1 authorised by Level 10 access. Code 220324._

It was a long shot using her old clearance but what else could she try? The numbers moved again, this time it took longer to come back with an answer, but to Becca's relief and surprise it was different to its first response.

 _Level 10 access granted. Opening Storage Unit 1._

The message was followed by a deep rumble, then the two heavy doors slid apart to reveal the dark room beyond. With a gasp Becca disconnected from the keypad and stumbled back into a familiar hard, cool obstacle.

"Are you alright?" Connor asked, his voice coloured with concern. She turned to him, the energy had been sapped from her limbs from the effort of interfacing with the computer, all she could manage was a lame nod. His brown eyes swept over her face, scanning her despite her answer.

"What did you do?" He continued, the curiosity evident in his expression now he had reassured himself she was largely fine. She felt her cheeks heat under his scrutiny. Knowing Connor, a half assed answer wasn't going to cut it when he was wearing that expression.

"I just told it to open for me." His brow lowered into a frown as soon as the words were out of her mouth.

"Told it? Wasn't there an access code?" The heat increased in her face and she decided this wasn't the time or place for this conversation.

"We don't have long. I'll tell you after." It wasn't what he wanted but Connor seemed to resign himself to waiting for his answer as he turned towards the now open storage unit, taking her hand in his again.

"I can't see anything." Becca said, trying to make out shapes in the pitch blackness. Whatever they were storing obviously didn't need light.

"Come on." Connor said in a quiet voice as he walked forwards. Just as they crossed the threshold a panicked message came through to him from North.

 _We've have gathered all the intel we can from the upper levels but more agents have arrived. We've dealt with as many as possible but some are on route to you, stay alert._

He gripped Becca's hand tighter and felt the rising fear he had been feeling since he had started this mission with her reach a crescendo. They would have to be quick and get out before the agents found them as he wasn't sure he could fight them off and keep her safe at the same time.

He was so preoccupied with working through his options that he hadn't even bothered to scan the room before entering. A blinding flash stopped them both in their tracks as the lights in the storage unit sprang into existence. They must have been on motion sensors he thought idly as he assessed their surroundings. Then all thoughts of agents and motion sensors left his mind as Becca took in a sharp breath and he focused on what they were storing here.

Rows upon rows of his own face stared back at him. Their eyes shut, in stasis. The androids were identical to him in every way except they were slightly taller and wore a stark white jacket instead of his dark grey one, with the model number RK900 emblazoned on them.


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Hello everyone, slowly but surely we're getting there. I will endeavour not to leave you waiting as long on the next instalment. I'm not a monster after all. ;) Anyway, read, review and enjoy! :)**

Chapter 19

Detective Gavin Reed shifted impatiently from one foot to the other, his hands shoved deep into the pockets of his well-worn jeans. Marvin stood stock still beside him, towering over his partially hunched partner as they both waited for the ST300 that had greeted them to finish calling up to Elijah Kamski's office.

They were in a small but extremely modern reception area in the original Cyberlife headquarters on the outskirts of Detroit. Gavin had been surprised to find anyone here, let alone the founder himself. According to Cyberlife's records the building had been left as a memorial to the origins of the android making company but when Gavin and his ever present robot side-kick had arrived they had been greeted by an immaculately dressed ST300 model who had insisted it phone up to the Mr Kamski's office.

Marvin flicked a curious look towards the still fidgeting Detective. "I don't think moving is going to make it call faster." Gavin flashed a deadly look at the RK900 but stopped in his insistent jig nonetheless.

"Thanks Marv." He said through clenched teeth, his tone hushed as the android continued to murmur into its headset only a few feet from them. His anger abated as quickly as it had arrived as his naturally curious traits took over. "Don't you think it's a bit weird that the CEO of such a controversial company would choose to hole himself up a few miles from the crisis he created? Added to that he never announced he was officially taking over the company again to the public."

Marvin stared at the man next to him for a moment, unsure whether he had been talking to himself or actually asking him a question. It was only when Gavin shot him another narrowed eyed stare that he realised the second, far more unlikely scenario, had been the correct one.

"It does seem highly unusual. After all Cyberlife has always promoted itself as an open, honest company in the eyes of the general populace. Although I'm sure Mr Kamski has his reasons." Gavin had been listening to the android next to him with an interested expression until he uttered the last line hesitantly. Then the Detective had rolled his eyes and given a loud humourless snort.

"Of course you'd say that. You're their little errand boy, sent to keep an eye on us."

The android narrowed his eyes at him but decided not to answer back, he had spent enough time with Detective Reed to know when it was futile.

"What, no comeback? I'm disappointed Marvin, you were getting so good at sarcasm as well." Marvin clenched his teeth, determined to stick to his tactic of not provoking Gavin, but unusually he found his detached equilibrium ruffled slightly.

"Mr Kamski will see you now." The dark haired ST300 said in a pleasant tone, its cheeks dimpling as it smiled warmly at them. Although the warmth didn't reach its eyes Marvin noted. Funny how he noticed that now.

"Finally." Gavin breathed, pulling his hands out of pockets and striding towards the door to the elevator. The RK900 followed behind his partner, giving the android receptionist a curious look as he passed. It had already returned to its work, its LED flashing as it interfaced with the computer terminal in front of it.

"Stop dawdling ass hat, you can flirt later." Gavin's abrasive tone snapped Marvin out of his odd thoughts. He eyed the Detective reproachfully as he moved into position by his side, the elevator doors sliding shut. Reed lapsed into another bout of moody silence as it moved them up to their destination. The android spent the rare moment he was not being insulted to reflect on the case so far.

Androids going missing, a human activist group likely responsible for the recent attack on Detroit, deviant androids intent on violence towards humans with the added suspicion of being controlled by Cyberlife, and now Elijah Kamski himself potentially hiding information about an ex-employee who may have links to his company's origins. It was a complicated puzzle, one that was even giving Marvin a hard time.

The elevator gave a cheery pinging sound as it reached the top floor and Gavin let out a weary sigh as the doors opened to reveal a minimalist open plan office. "Fucking feng shei, hippy bullshit. This guy's so pretentious I'm surprised there's not a picture of himself on the wall."

Marvin frowned as they walked into the room. It was a large space occupied by one sleek mahogany desk by a floor to ceiling window looking out on the Detroit skyline in the distance. The only other pieces of furniture were an equally sleek modern looking cabinet against one granite grey wall, a black leather sofa on spindly steel legs and two chairs either side of the desk. One a simple dark wood, the other a high backed leather affair with an ergonomic design. Elijah Kamski was sat in this last item, his arms resting casually on the desk in front of him. His sharp blue eyes trained on the odd couple walking towards him.

"Welcome both. So sorry to keep you waiting." Gavin let out a derisive snort and gave Kamski a sour look.

"It's alright, not like we have anything important to attend to." If the head of Cyberlife was offended by the Detective's disrespectful attitude he didn't show it, simply flashing them both a media rehearsed smile and indicating the chair in front of his desk.

"Please have a seat."

"If it's all the same I'd rather stand." Gavin said, standing behind the chair instead and folding his arms. Kamski shrugged and continued in a pleasant but bored voice.

"What is it I can help you with exactly? I answered all the authority's questions last time in regards to the deviants, I doubt there's any more I can enlighten you about." Gavin flicked a look at the android that had come to stand just by his elbow.

"We're not here to talk about deviants. We're here to ask about one of your former employees. A Dr Rebecca Harris." Marvin gave Gavin a sideways look. If his auditory sensors were working correctly, and he knew for a fact they were, then the hostile Detective had just said 'we' not his customary 'I'. He scanned his partner for any signs of blunt force trauma to the head but couldn't detect any. If there had been no injury to his brain than Marvin could only assume the Detective was starting to grow acclimatised to his presence. The thought sent a pleasing sensation through his internal circuits, a feeling of elation and positive affirmation. A human would call it happiness he supposed.

Kamski on the other hand looked anything but happy as he leant back in his plush leather chair and steepled his hands in front of him. His eyes were guarded as he answered in a cool tone. "Now there's a name I haven't heard in a while. Why are you interested in her if you don't mind me asking? Has she got into some trouble?"

Gavin bristled, "I do mind you asking actually. It's a confidential case but whatever information you have about her would be greatly appreciated."

Marvin noticed how his partner wasn't being his usual offensive self. Normally the person they were interrogating would have been treated to at least five swear words by this point in the conversation. He could tell the Detective was struggling however, if his clenched fists shoved into his crossed arms were anything to go by.

"Firstly, I want it known that I no longer associate with her and she has nothing to do with my company either."

"Sounds like this is a touchy subject. Friendship gone wrong? Did she take all your money or something?" Gavin's mouth lifted up at the corner slightly. Despite his subdued mood the thought of someone pissing this douche hole off made him feel a lot better. Even if that same person had redesigned his nasal bone structure.

"Not exactly." Kamski replied carefully, "What is it you'd like to know Detective?" His gaze flashed to Marvin briefly, his expression unreadable but the RK900 straightened slightly under the scrutinizing stare of his creator.

"I'd like to know why all records of her have been erased from your public database. A recent investigation into missing androids led me to find an old newspaper article about your early days and she was in the photo. But when I went to find out about her involvement in your company it was as if she'd never worked for you. Funny that."

Kamski lowered his hands and regarded Gavin. The neutral mask he had been wearing so far through their conversation began to slip, his eyes flashing dangerously. "She left my company under less than favourable circumstances and any connection with her could have damaged my reputation. I decided to eradicate that threat by wiping all trace of her from our records. As far as I'm aware that's not illegal."

Gavin narrowed his eyes at the guarded CEO. "It's not illegal, but it does provoke suspicion." He slowly reached into his worn leather jacket and pulled out a data pad. "When she was in your employ did she display any signs of anti-android behaviour?"

Kamski cocked his head to one side, his expression one of pure bewilderment. "She helped _design_ the androids, why would she be anti-android? I was a little concerned the police force sent an old 'has-been' the last time I was interrogated, but I can see their younger stock isn't much better."

Marvin automatically turned his attention to his partner as the barbed comment was flung at him. This was usually the part when he would lose his cool and get himself in a dangerous situation that the android would have to extract him from but he found although the Detective bristled slightly he remained oddly calm.

"I am only enquiring as Dr Harris has been involved in an anti-android activist group for some time now, and these things usually show up early on." Kamski gave nothing away, his expression still confused. However both the highly perceptible RK900 and the observant Gavin saw it didn't reach his eyes. Much like the android in reception, Marvin thought to himself.

"That was probably down to the horrific tragedy that befell her and her husband." Gavin frowned, caught off guard by the unexpected answer. Kamski's carefully crafted façade turned to one of mock surprise. "Are you not aware of what happened? It was in the local news, her whole street was attacked by militant androids after the revolution. They blew up her home and killed her husband. That was probably when her opinion changed. Such a shame, the problem with AI gaining true sentience is that they risk becoming more like us in every way. Humans are such violent creatures." He shook his head sadly. "Thankfully my latest models are resistance to the RA9 virus, but it's hard to persuade people they're safe again when there are still corrupted models like those running around."

Gavin's gut gave a sharp violent tug in warning. If there was one thing he had actually picked up from Hank Anderson, it was following one's gut is the smartest thing a Detective can do. Human instincts are so much more reliable than the human consciousness. Kamski's words had sent a huge red flag to his brain, the fact that there was an air of smugness about the man didn't sit well with him at all. He just wished he could put his finger on what was freaking him out. He just needed to keep him talking and he would crack this sucker, he was sure.

"Yes, thank goodness indeed. There was one more thing I wanted to ask you Mr Kamski-" A tinkling musical tone interrupted Gavin's line of enquiry. The nasty, self-satisfied look on Kamski's face cleared as he held up a finger to silence the Detective. Marvin flashed another cautionary glance towards him as he tightened his grip on the data pad he was holding. His composure had been impressive so far but the android doubted he could keep it up much longer.

"One second Detective, let me take this." Without waiting for a response Kamski picked up a slim phone off the desk and answered the call he was receiving. "I'm in the middle of something, is this important?"

The curt way in which he spoke to the person on the other end of the phone twisted Gavin's gut further, but it was the look of enraged shock that unconsciously formed on previously unflappable man's face that really set off alarm bells. "What? This is unacceptable, how did they get there? Well, I don't care what happened, you need to fix this, now! You know what forget it, I've heard enough. I'm coming now."

He ended the call abruptly, the sudden anger abating from his expression as he addressed the two of them again. "I'm terribly sorry but can I reschedule? Something has come up that requires my immediate attention." He flashed a camera ready smile at them, but the anger was still lingering in the pupils of his cold blue eyes.

"Well, technically yes but I'll have to return soon to continue my line of questioning." Gavin said reluctantly, sliding the data pad back into his jacket in defeat. Kamski was already halfway to the elevator, his pace measured but urgent.

"Fine. I assume you can see yourselves out, and I hope you're finding our RK900 to your liking. They are highly obedient and efficient androids." With that Elijah Kamski summoned his elevator and disappeared leaving the pair alone in his office.

Gavin threw Marvin a sour look. "You didn't say much." He muttered.

"I didn't think it necessary. You were doing fine on your own." The android shot back in an offhand tone.

"What did you think of his phone call then?"

"Judging by the conversation it appears someone has broken into one of his highly secure plant facilities." Gavin's eyebrows shot up.

"You heard the guy on the other end?" The RK900 tilted his head to one side in that ridiculously infuriating way that reminded Gavin dangerously of Connor.

"Of course. My auditory sensors are very advanced, able to hear ten times as much as an organic system."

"You could have told me that." The Detective growled as he stomped off towards the elevator.

"You didn't ask. What are you intending to do now?" Marvin said, following behind.

" _We_ are going to follow him. My gut says something fishy is going on here." The elevator returned to the office, now empty, and he stepped in. "Unless you've got a problem with tailing your maker with no substantial evidence? I can do this fine alone." There was a pause in which Gavin actually thought Marvin was going to take up his offer and return to the precinct, but the android stepped elegantly in beside him.

"I think I'll come along anyway, in case you need to be rescued." The sound of grinding was almost audible as Gavin ground his teeth together.

"Obedient my ass." He spat, the doors closing on them.

* * *

Becca was thoroughly freaked out by the carbon copies of Connor. Even though they were in stasis and completely inactive at the moment, she still couldn't stop the feeling of unease creeping up her spine.

It wasn't that she assumed Connor was the only one. Even prototypes had more than one version, but seeing hundreds if not thousands of brand new versions of his high cheekbones and soft brown hair made her skin prickle. She looked over at him now, moving between the lines of RK900's like her, his eyes scanning their inert faces. Next to them she could see the slight height difference and the broader build of their shoulders. Connor was more lean and wiry, his hair flopping down into his eyes, his LED a steady blue despite the tense situation.

Connor wasn't sure what to make of these newly made androids. Part of him wondered if he should try and convert them but another fearful part of him told him not to. There was something about them that didn't feel right. Besides he had enough to worry about what with an approaching army of Cyberlife agents and a very wobbly Becca with him. As if on cue she stumbled forward, her legs not used to this much exercise after her extended period of bed rest. In a flash Connor was next to her, gripping her firmly by the elbow to stop her face planting into one of the sleeping RK900's.

"Steady." He said, keeping a hold on her as she regained her balance.

"Thanks." She replied sheepishly. A thin sheen of sweat glistened on her brow and Connor could feel her elevated heart rate through the grip he had on her arm.

"There's a high volume of electrical activity ahead, it could be the server room." He ran a worried eye over her before gently letting go. "Let's keep going. It's not wise to linger here." He kept pace with Becca, leading her towards one wall of the storage unit were he could see lines of thick electrical cables running. He had decided not to mention the approaching agents to his partner. The stress and worry it would cause would do little to aid their progress and like Becca, Connor was determined to accomplish at least part of his mission.

Breaking through the rows of lifeless androids they could see a door in the wall. There was another keypad locking this door. Before Connor could decide what to do Becca had already approached it and connected with her android arm. A spike of annoyance shot through him, why was she always so reckless with her own safety? It was illogical and made his job of keeping her safe all the harder.

 _Except no one gave you that job Connor, only you._ He ignored the irritating thought as the door gave a click, opening without a fuss. Regardless of whether he thought it was sensible or not he couldn't deny Becca's presence and new found hacking skills were proving remarkably helpful.

On the other side the whirring of fans bombarded them, and a sea of twinkling lights lit the dim room. "Bingo." Becca said under her breath as they walked quietly between the stacks. "Now to find out what they're up to."

She moved quickly in amongst the maze of servers and wires as if she knew exactly where she was going. Connor followed, his attention only half on the woman in front of him. The other half was worrying about the guards that were now moving through the building looking for them. He was however, aware enough to notice that Becca was supporting herself on the server stacks as she wound her way through them.

"Here we go." She said more to herself than to him, stopping in front of one of the columns of blinking lights. There was a pause as she looked at the rows of servers and cables connecting them to the Cyberlife mainframe.

"How do you know this is the one to use?" Connor asked, breaking the constant sound of humming from the fans. Becca turned to look at him, the lights casting fascinating shadows on her pale skin. It reminded him of that morning walk in the woods when Becca had asked him why he had become deviant. Her skin had been a vibrant gold that day, the sunrise bathing her in an extraordinary light.

"It's the only one with an interface monitor, but it doesn't hurt that it's far away from those things as well." He blinked, taken aback by the horror in her voice. She seemed disturbed by the androids that looked like him. He was unsure whether to be relieved or concerned by that fact. Trying not to get too distracted by the way her face looked in the oddly lit room or her repulsions of his clones he stepped forward and began the process of downloading Cyberlife's heavily encrypted files.

She had been right, the server he had connected to was able to access all other servers and online systems. He couldn't be sure what he was downloading though, as the data passed by too quickly to register. It was just a series of numbers and digital information that his own system drank in greedily but in a form he couldn't directly access. They would have to wait until he had stopped downloading before sifting through the numerous of files for something important.

The stream of information had slowed slightly when he received a proximity warning moments before the distant sound of a door clanging shut reached him. His circuits fizzed with energy as he realised their time was up, the agents had reached them. Becca hadn't heard the approaching danger but she stared at Connor wide eyed as he suddenly leapt back breaking his connection with the server prematurely.

"What's wrong?" She asked studying his face carefully.

"Nothing." He replied after a more than suspicious pause. "We need to leave."

"But you haven't got everything. You're only at 55%." She was looking at the interface monitor where a half filled progress bar was displayed. He cast a desperate look towards her, contemplating whether she would protest too much to being thrown over his shoulder and forcibly removed. Another bleep from his internal sensors told him the group of agents had reached the storage unit door. A quick scan in that direction and their presence was more than confirmed by his heat sensors.

"Revert to plan B then." He shot at the woman next to him. He felt her alarm as her heartbeat briefly spiked. Reaching into his jacket he handed her a data pad for her to collect the information.

"What? Where are you going?" He could hear the quiver in her voice as he began to walk out of the server room towards the approaching agents that were now opening the heavy metal doors.

"To cause a distraction. If I'm not back in five minutes get out of here." The last thing he saw before shutting the server room door firmly behind him was a pair of terrified hazel eyes shining in the dark.

The storage unit was still eerily quiet, the androids that looked like him standing silent and still. His processors jolted with energy as he moved back through them. The last time he had seen someone else with his face they had been pointing a gun at Hank and had very nearly ended his life. Connor was determined to not let that happen a second time. The doors to the storage unit had only opened a few inches before stopping, evidently the agents knew they were there and didn't want to give themselves away. Unfortunately for them they already had.

Shrugging out of his distinctive dark grey jacket he quickly grabbed at the nearest android, relieving it of its brilliant white alternative. With nimble fingers he fitted his jacket onto the sleeping machine, noting how the cuffs stopped a few inches short of its hands and the shoulders strained just a little too much against the larger android's frame. In comparison, Connor's hands were half covered in the long arms for his new jacket and the high collar forced him to extend his neck slightly. It wasn't perfect but it just might work against less efficient human eyes.

He distanced himself from the android now wearing his old Cyberlife issue uniform and inserted himself into the ranks. It didn't take long two of the agents came into view, weaving amongst the lines of androids. He straightened his back, trying to appear taller and closed his eyes, leaving his scanners on high alert so he was still aware of the room around him.

"Command, this is agent 32. We've reached the location no sign of the intruders."

 _"_ _Copy 32, the primary is on route. Destroy the android but keep the female alive."_

The answering voice came through with a burst of static, and Connor felt a flash of panic at the voice's command. Keep the female alive. How did they know who was here?

He didn't have time to ponder this disturbing development as one of the agent's froze about ten feet from him. The gun they were holding whipped around to point directly at him. It only took Connor a second to realise that despite his body appearing in shut down his LED was most certainly not. His moment of panic had sent it into a brief but eye catching spiral of yellow, just enough to draw the nearby agent's attention. The heavily armed guard began to walk towards him, his gun trained on his head. He counted down the steps until he reached him; six, five, four, three…

Connor readied himself, this wasn't how he had wanted to engage them but his wayward emotions had left him little choice. The agent was two steps away and clearly able to see that the android stood amongst the ranks of RK900's was definitely shorter and slimmer than his companions when a shout rose from somewhere near the back of the room.

"Target spotted, engage!" A burst of gunfire followed the shout and the agent near Connor was momentarily distracted long enough for the him to act. Moving with blinding speed he disarmed the startled agent, using the butt of his assault rifle to deliver a swift blow to the gut. He doubled over with a low grunt and Connor finished him off by ramming the gun down on his now partially exposed neck. There was a crack as it broke and he collapsed to the floor with a heavy thud. Thankfully the commotion caused by his decoy was loud enough to conceal the sound. Now armed, Connor moved silently up through the lines of still quiet androids towards the knot of chaos he had created.

"That's a negative on target."

"You idiot, we're not meant to damage the assets. That's coming out of your pay check, not mine."

"Command, target is likely concealed as an RK900 model, be on the lookout for rogue units." He could now see a group of four agents gathered around the inert form of an android lying crumpled on the floor. Several bullet holes in its head were just visible, blue blood seeping out onto the white floor.

He levelled the gun at the agent's exposed backs and pre-constructed the best path for his attack. Four against one wasn't very good odds, but he had dealt with a lot worse. Before any of the gathered men could begin their sweep of the room again, he struck. Immobilising one with a precise kick to the back of the legs and shooting two of his partners in the head before they could properly react. The fourth had his gun levelled on him in impressive time, but Connor had already predicted he would. Ducking down and moving to the side he easily evaded the agent's gunfire which reverberated off the concrete walls. He fired two controlled shots to the knees of his attacker and sent him to the floor like the first man. Without hesitating Connor ended the brief fight by delivering two more head shots to the incapacitated agents. The four of them lay on the ground next to the android they had gunned down, the only sign they had reached a similar end was the four neat holes in their tinted helmets.

Connor relaxed slightly, that had gone better than expected. He surveyed the storage unit looking for any loose ends. His suspicion was suddenly stirred. Had that been it? It seemed far too easy. He scanned the room reflexively as his anxiety mounted. All appeared quiet again, and apart from the massacre he had just generated nothing was out of place. Well…almost nothing.

His eyes stopped on one of the rows half way between the server room and the main door. Not far from where he had dealt with the first agent. The androids was stood in perfectly spaced formation, except there was one gap between two models that was just a little too wide. About the size of another android.

Connor's LED whirled around in a kaleidoscope of emotion as he processed what he was seeing. One of the androids was missing where it hadn't been when they first entered. But where had it gone?

His grip tightened on the gun still in his hands as he turned towards the server room door. He had left it firmly shut but now it was open ever so slightly, as if someone had slipped quietly in. Unnoticed. His limbs moved of their own accord towards the door, but his urgent progress was halted by another shout from behind him.

"Command, target spotted! Alpha unit taken out! Engaging now." A pure feeling of terror washed through Connor as he turned to see a small army of agents rushing towards him through the door. The imminent danger Becca was in sending yet more waves of panic through him. The odds were most definitely stacked against him this time.

* * *

Becca watched the agonisingly slow progress bar on the small monitor creep up to 100%. Connor had been gone for what felt like hours although she knew in reality it had only been a few minutes. The server room was eerily quiet and that put her more on edge than anything else. It might have been the expectation of the approaching danger, but it felt like the room was holding its breath. Waiting for something to happen. Or was that her?

She hadn't liked watching him walk away, knowing he was going out to likely fight heavily armed agents and risk his safety for her…yet again. But it wasn't like she could help, her wound was at eye watering levels of pain and they had to finish what they had started. She had to know what Cyberlife was up to and why she was still able to use her high level access. The moment those doors had opened she had had the feeling of being watched. This whole thing felt like a trap now, its teeth slowly closing around them both.

The progress bar inched up to read 89%. "Come on, come on." She muttered, clenching and unclenching her hands in the process as if that would somehow help. It had just ticked up again to 90% when the hairs on the back of her neck stood up abruptly. She whipped her head round and stared through the rows of black stacks to look at the door. It was still closed, but was that a slither of light now creeping though?

Becca strained her ears but couldn't hear anything over the hum of the fans. Bile rose in her throat as the feeling of being watched tripled and she focused all her senses on pinpointing where the feeling was coming from.

Energy pulsed through her limbs as the urge to run built inside of them. But she found she couldn't bring herself to obey her instincts. She needed to get the data like Connor had asked and they were so very close.

92%

93%

94%

 _Nearly there,_ she chanted in her head. The phantom eyes she could feel on her felt like two cold icicles, spearing her from all sides. The cold sensation condensed on to her back, then crept up her spine until they were freezing her neck and head. She willed the bar to go faster and as it flashed to 95% she heard the unmistakable sound of a footstep behind her.

Moving faster than she thought her injured body could, she turned to face her mysterious watcher. In her blind panic all she saw was the familiar face and figure of her friend; his brown hair unusually neat, his expression serious. Then a pair of strong hands wrapped around her throat lifting her up off the floor to eye level, and she stared in horror into the artic blue eyes of a stranger.


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: Hey all, a huge thanks to those who have reviewed, faved and followed this since my last update. I've also got some pretty lovely messages from a few of you so I'd just like to say thanks again. It all helps me in my lonely endeavour to write this story for you. I don't fail to be amazed by the amount of people enjoying this and from all corners of the globe no less. Anyway, enough soppiness, please read, review and enjoy! :)**

Chapter 20

Becca couldn't breathe. She opened and closed her mouth rapidly, desperate for air but none came. Her blue eyed attacker tightened his already vice like grip provoking a strange, strangled gurgle to force its way out of her gaping mouth.

"Please." She croaked feebly around his cool fingers. The android that looked like Connor, but wasn't Connor, narrowed his eyes and closed the last of her airway so now she couldn't even gurgle.

The adrenaline began to flood through her system, the arrow sharp pain from her wound dulled into insignificance as her body tackled this new danger. Even though she knew she was mismatched when it came to strength her hands still found their way to the lethal grip of the android. The soft flesh of her human hand clawing uselessly against his unyielding, plastic ones. Her android hand, fared slightly better, managing for one moment to pry his fingers apart just enough to open her airway a fraction and deliver oxygen to her brain.

Becca gasped loudly as her android hand continued to fight against his hold, pulling the RK900's fingers further from her neck. His face went from one of intense focus to cold fury as he realised she was turning the tables. Frantically she gulped in mouthfuls of air, all the while forcing his one hand away. All of a sudden she felt a teeth shattering blow to the head as he slammed her hard against the server. Several cables were dislodged from the impact and black stars bloomed in her already tunnelling vision.

The new angle of attack shocked Becca, dropping her android arm allowing her attacker to begin suffocating her once more. This time he added repeatedly slamming her into the server stack into his repertoire, speeding up her decent into unconsciousness. The edges of her vision closed in, a black cloud signalling her impending defeat framing the hauntingly familiar face of her assailant. It might have been his uncanny resemblance or the lack of oxygen to her brain but the piercing blue eyes of the android seemed to melt into a comforting chocolate brown. The ghost of a smile formed on her blue tinted lips as she stared hungrily at Connor's receding face, and her dying brain made it feel as if he were caressing her neck instead of crushing it.

 _Connor._

His name sent a spark of resilience to her limp arms. Slowly she moved her hand to reach into her jeans pocket and closed her fist around a small unassuming box that she had kept there since leaving the forest. Fighting to stay conscious she turned the EMP transmitter until she felt the slight indentation that marked the button for it. She braced herself for the inevitable fall she was about to suffer and moved her thumb to activate her secret weapon.

Before she could press down there was loud thud and her attacker's head snapped to one side as if something had struck him. It took a moment for Becca to register what had happened, the imposing silhouette of the android blocked most of her view but she could just make out a shaggy mop of grey hair floating behind his head.

There was another thud and this time the RK900 let go of her. She crumpled to the floor, drinking in the blessed air gratefully. Her limbs were weak after struggling against the android but she manged to prop herself up far enough to see Hank glaring at her assailant. "Pick on someone your own size you creepy bastard." He growled, squaring up to him.

From the angle she was at it looked indeed as if Hank was the same height as the tall android, his face set in a fierce expression under his scruffy beard, his revolver levelled at his opponent's chest. Before he had a chance to fire the RK900 sprang forward, his previous target forgotten. He tried to knock the gun from the old Lieutenant's hands but he was quicker than he looked and manged to dodge to the side. The alien version of Connor stopped instantly as soon as he realised he had missed his target and came at Hank from a different angle. This time the Lieutenant wasn't so lucky. The android wrapped his arm around his neck and secured him in a vicious headlock. Swinging his hand down in a last arc he knocked Hank's gun from his grasp. It skittered loudly across the floor.

Becca watched the fight, her blood turning cold as Hank now struggled to breath under the android's vice like grip. She pushed herself up further, desperate to get up and help her rescuer but the pain in her side and her weakened limbs sent her stumbling to the floor. The RK900's hauntingly blue eyes snapped to her as she lay sprawled in front of him. His lip curled up in disgust as he looked down at her, Hank turning an alarming shade of purple.

"Pathetic." The android murmured, his voice as cold as his eyes. He continued to stare down at her, barely giving the sizeable Lieutenant any attention as he addressed her. How strong was he? A distant memory flashed through her brain as she asked the question, Connor picking her up as if she were made of nothing but air and running from an angry mob of androids. _Very_ strong then.

Panic tightened its hold on her heart as she watched helplessly. She wasn't a fighter, she had relied on Connor and Hank since leaving the safety of her group in the forest. She had never liked violence but watching her friend being strangled to death sent a pulse of anger coursing through her. Her android hand clenched reflexively and her human one wasn't far behind. She started slightly as the soft flesh of her hand wrapped around something hard and angular. Then realisation lit up her brain like a lightning strike.

Think Becca you idiot. She didn't need to fight, she had found a way to defend herself and those around her long ago. She smiled up at the android, her expression simultaneously defiant and victorious as she found the indentation on the EMP transmitter in her pocket once more. He raised a quizzical eyebrow in a gesture that was so familiar that it offended her to see it on his cruel face. Without wasting another moment she pressed down on the switch and watched with satisfaction as the merciless killing machine sagged like all the strings holding him up had been cut. The twinkling lights of the servers fading and the fans stopping abruptly, plunging the room into an ominous silence.

Hank let out a string of racking coughs as he stayed bent over, clutching his throat as he recovered from his assault. "Nice going kid." He finally managed to wheezed, straightening to survey her handiwork.

"You okay?" She responded, finding she was still unable to stand properly. Only just reaching her full height by propping herself up on the nearby server stack.

"I should be asking you that." Hank replied softly, his kind eyes giving her the once over as they both regained their bearings. A burst of gunfire broke through their quiet moment of rest and Becca felt her pulse immediately jump back through the roof. _Connor_. Her head whipped towards the door he had left through, but it was still mostly closed. "Think it's time for you to skedaddle." Hank said.

"Not without Connor."

"I'm not arguing with you, but you're still wounded from your last encounter with an automatic rifle and thanks to your little party trick just now you've only got one arm." Becca glanced down at her left arm to see it was indeed hanging limp at her side thanks to the EMP blast. She ground her teeth together, the urge to fight and defend the ones she loved still surging through her. But Hank was right, as much as she hated to admit it, she was a hindrance not a help right now. "I'll see to the boy, you just grab that data and get out of here. There's an exit through there." She followed his finger to the opposite side of the server room and saw an opened air duct set at floor level which Hank had clearly come through. She gave the dishevelled Lieutenant a long look as he picked up his revolver and turned to face the door where gunfire and now shouts could be heard.

"Go!" He barked at her and she jolted into action, grabbing the data pad from where she had left it and staggering across the room, holding onto servers to keep from face planting the floor. By the time she had reached the air duct and turned back Hank was gone. Fear and dread sat heavy in her stomach as a terrible thought crossed her mind.

 _What if this is the last time I see them?_

She swallowed the bile threatening to rise at the horrendous question and felt anger at herself for even thinking such a thing. Then, lowering herself onto all fours she squeezed into the impossibly small air duct even for her, so god knows how Hank had managed, and began to crawl to safety.

* * *

Detective Gavin Reed lay flat on his stomach in a patch of overgrown weeds feeling like an idiot. The only consolation he had was that Marvin was in a similarly undignified position, his perfectly styled hair now mussed from the literal hedge they had just dragged themselves through.

"There appears to be a disturbance near the front entrance." Marvin said, ignoring his partner's obvious embarrassment. His cool blue eyes swept over the building they were looking at from the patch of dense woodland surrounding it. A large, seemingly abandoned Cyberlife plant. But this was the place they had followed Kamski's car to. Gavin shifted so that he could see the partially hidden front gate. Just as Marvin had stated there was a group of heavily armed Cyberlife agents, their tinted visors reflecting the harsh, white lights flooding the area. The sun had long set but the whole damn building was lit up like a maximum security prison. Either they had a really bad idea of what 'secret base' meant or something had spooked them.

The Detective narrowed his eyes as he saw what looked like a half exploded saloon car smouldering in front of the gate. He recognised that car, only one man drove a decrepit old banger like that and if he was here there was definitely something fishy going on. The Cyberlife agents were gathered round it, their assault rifles held ready in their hands. As Gavin and the RK900 watched they parted like a school of fish avoiding a predator revealing the lean figure of Elijah Kamski striding through them.

"There's that son of a bitch." Gavin said with a humourless smile, swatting a troublesome leaf out of his face. Marvin turned his attention to the man lying next to him. He had been programmed to read human emotions and adapt accordingly to them, to this end he had been fitted with the latest facial recognition software and auto-assimilation technology. Yet despite all this he still had no idea why human's reacted the way they did to things and the complexities of their likes and dislikes. His was simply a matter of absorb and reflect that meant he could accomplish his objectives easier. He felt himself frowning now as he studied the odd Detective.

At the start of their partnership his software had registered a heightened aggression and animosity towards him. Typical behaviours for a human who disliked whomever it was directed towards but as time had passed the aggression had faded to be replaced by a curious emotion known only as indifference. Now he detected the cadence of familiarity in the Detective's voice as he spoke. Marvin had picked it up when they had been in Kamski's office; the impression that he wasn't just speaking to himself but including the android in his mussing too.

Gavin finally noticed his partner's intense stare and flashed an irritated look towards him. "What the fuck you staring at Marv?"

The RK900 registered the harsh edge to his voice but it was dulled considerably from previous accusations. Much to his alarm he felt his mouth twitch up at the corner as if to form a smile in response, and yet his software hadn't detected the situation caused for mirth. So why was he amused?

"Nothing Detective." He said. Gavin's slightly disjointed nose wrinkled in half-hearted disgust.

"Well, try training those creepy peepers of yours on the interesting shit happening over there. You're the one with super robot vision after all." With that he turned back to look at the gate and Marvin obeyed quietly, his mouth quirking up even further.

"Crap! Where did he go?!" Gavin exclaimed. The group of Cyberlife agents were still standing around the burnt out car but their boss had disappeared from their midst. Gavin let out a string of inventive expletives, enough to wilt the dense weeds they were hiding in. He scanned the area in front of them, desperate to relocate their target.

"Detective." Even though his voice was pitched low Gavin's attention immediately snapped to the android.

"What? You see him?"

"No." He replied simply, extending one arm from under him to point through the foliage. "But I believe what's happening over there might count as 'interesting shit'." The Detective followed the line of his arm and zeroed in on where Marvin was pointing. His eyes widened as he saw the dim outline of someone crawling out of an impossibly small duct on the side of the building nearest them. They both watched as the person painstakingly extracted themselves from the narrow opening and eventually fell the few feet to the ground below.

Luckily where they were was cast in shadow, the industrial strength lights illuminating the perimeter not quite reaching the walls of the plant. However, as the mysterious duct crawler righted themselves Gavin felt a cool wave of adrenaline sweep over him.

"That's her. That's that Dr Rebecca chick. The one that was with Connor." Marvin's gaze snapped to the man next to him and Gavin instantly clamped his mouth shut, chagrin heating his face as he realised his error.

"Connor?" The android next to him said slowly, as if trying out the name for the first time. He swallowed, wishing he could do the same with the words he had just blurted out, but before he could elaborate another shadowy figure came into view around the side of the plant.

"Wait…isn't that-" The human and android both watched as Dr Rebecca Harris was grabbed forcefully from behind by a lean figure. She put up a good fight, kicking her legs out and twisting her body to an impossible degree to try and break out of her attackers grip. But only one of her arms appeared to be making any contribution to the effort, the other hanging limp at her side.

After a few moments of struggling the pair were joined by two Cyberlife agents, their guns aimed at the her. "Holy shit." Gavin breathed, his heart briefly jumping into his throat as he waited for the inevitable gunshots. But they never came. Instead one of the guards brought the butt of his rifle down on the woman's head causing her to drop in her attackers arms.

He could feel his pulse beating in his ears as he watched the three men drag the unconscious Becca away, and it turned into a blaring staccato as they entered the bright circle of light surrounding the plant. An ugly gash had been opened on her forehead from the blow she had received, her head lolling back on the shoulder of her original attacker. Blood dripped onto the expensive looking dark pullover Kamski had been wearing the last time Gavin had seen him, a disgusted look twisting his face as he readjusted her position in his arms. He barked an order to the two agents with him that Gavin couldn't hear but he understood the intention as the CEO of Cyberlife tossed Becca to the two of them, her limbs swinging like a ragdoll's, and strode ahead of them as they lifted her bodily between them.

"This shit just got _real_ interesting." Gavin said, shuffling back out of their hiding space, already intent on pursuing Kamski. Marvin agreed, as he followed his unorthodox partner.

* * *

Connor slammed another of Cyberlife's faceless soldiers into the wall, his hand gripping the barely exposed throat beneath their helmet. He had already disarmed them but had found himself without a weapon about ten minutes ago and had been dispatching the agents, with the help of Hank's thunderous revolver, with his bare hands ever since. A few more well placed smacks to the head and he felt the agent go floppy in his grip. He let them slide down the wall of the storage unit turning to see where his friend was at in his fight.

The Lieutenant was grappling with another agent, the two of them gripping onto each other wrists, Hank's revolver pointed at the ceiling. For a moment it wasn't clear who was winning but then the old man sent his knee slamming into the agent's stomach, doubling him over. His hands freed from the other man's grip, Hank took a step back before swinging his pistol into the side of his attacker's head. The agent collapsed to the floor and the room fell silent once more.

Hank's hair was in disarray, his breath coming out in uneven bursts. He wiped the back of his hand across his forehead then blew out a long, low whistle. "Jeeez louise. That was a hell of a fight, eh Con?"

The android regarded his friend, his circuits still buzzing with uneasy energy after the fight. He supposed in a human body it would be called adrenaline, a natural hormone release when faced with danger, but for him it was just annoying surplus impulses that clouded his analysing capabilities. The storage unit was littered now with the bodies,, some dead, some unconscious, of their enemies. The lines of sleeping RK900's were left fairly intact, only one or two having been caught in the cross fire. For now there was a lull in the attack but Connor was certain more agents were on the way. His attention immediately switched to the person he had left hiding in the server room where Hank had miraculously appeared from earlier in the struggle.

"Where is Becca?" He asked abruptly, ignoring the man's previous question. Hank gave him a knowing look before dragging a hand through his wild mane of grey hair.

"I told her to get out of here while she could. She took the data with her as well." Connor narrowed his eyes.

"You let her go off on her own?" The Lieutenant let out a snort at his disbelieving tone.

"The girl can handle herself son, you don't need to hold her hand constantly. In fact she got me out of a pretty hairy situation just now, one of these beefed up versions of you attacked us."

"What?!" The alarm in Connor's voice made even the hardened Lieutenant jump. "She was attacked?! Why didn't you say anything?" He shot over his shoulder as he began to stride towards the server room, the surplus energy intensifying with every step.

"Umm, I kind of had my hands full when I came out here. Besides you weren't exactly in a listening mood if I remember." Hank said, stepping over one of the lifeless bodies as if to highlight his point. Connor didn't responded, his mind completely focused on the hundreds of nightmare scenarios now playing in high definition on a loop. _She's fine, she's fine, Hank said she saved him,_ the rational part of his system tried to reason with his more deviant half but all the android could see was one of the tall, intimidating versions of himself wrapping his hands around Becca's throat.

The crumpled form of the RK900 lying motionless where he had last seen her did nothing to calm his circuits. "See just like I told you. The bastard had her pinned and nearly broke my damn neck but she knocked him out with one shot."

 _The EMP,_ he thought with a wry smile. She still had that trick up her sleeve at least. Maybe Hank was right and he was underestimating her. She had looked after herself in the middle of a war zone after all before they'd met. He had just begun to calm down when a burst of static followed by Markus' solemn voice filled his head.

 _Connor, we've regrouped outside the perimeter. We have a few injuries but nothing fatal. However, it appears Becca is missing as North tracked her to the South side of the plant but she wasn't there. It looks like she was intercepted by someone. I'm sorry._

Hank stared at him, concerned, as the LED on the side of his head turned a vivid and insistent red. "Everything okay?" He asked tentatively but Connor wasn't listening to anything anymore. The Lieutenant actually took a step back as he saw the look of fury on the normally collected android's face. He had only seen him like this once before, when he had burst into City Hall carrying a half dead Becca in his arms, blood smeared over his face.

"What's happened?" His insistent question seemed to break through the angry aura surrounding his friend. Connor's eyes flashed to him, two burning pits of bronze.

"She's gone." Hank swallowed as he watched the android sprint off towards the exit, all worries about more agents completely forgotten. He wasn't sure what had happened to Becca but whomever was responsible was about to have the mother of all storms come down on their heads.


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: Hello all, another month, another chapter. I am sorry my schedule has been pretty lousy of late. Work and life generally has made time for writing scarce, however I am ploughing on and this will be completed. I promise you all that. Please read, review and enjoy, and thanks again for your continuing patience. :)**

Chapter 21

Becca woke with a start. Her head was pounding, her mouth dry, her throat and side aching. The freezing floor she was lying on numbed one side of her face but did nothing to stop the raging headache. She tried to sit up but found her legs and arms bound…well, arm. A cold finger of fear touched her heart as she realised her android arm was missing. Her other one was currently tied tightly to one of her legs, forcing her spine to bend back in an uncomfortable position. The last thing she remembered after crawling out of the Cyberlife plant was being grabbed from behind then something had slammed into her head knocking her out.

Where was she? Where was Hank and Connor? Pushing the rising panic down she did her best to survey her surroundings. From where she was lying this proved more difficult than she would have liked, the concrete scraping against her cheek as she pushed herself around as best she could. The space where she was dark. No natural light, no windows; she could just make out tall boxes thrown haphazardly around and a few bits of what looked like discarded machinery. She couldn't make out what was in the boxes or what the machines actually were but their ominous silhouettes gave the room she was in a terrifying feel.

 _Where am I?_ She thought, trying to turn her head to see something, anything that would give her a clue. The sound of a door opening startled her, she looked around wildly in the gloom but couldn't see much of anything around the boxes. Footsteps clicking on the hard concrete drew towards her. An icy shiver ran through her and she found herself helpless as a lean shadow weaved between the clutter and came to a stop in front of her.

"Not exactly how I expected to run into you again but I must say the circumstances certainly are satisfying." Becca couldn't help an involuntary growl slipping through her clenched teeth as she tried to see her captor's face better, although his voice alone had set off a chain of repressed memories.

"Kamski." She managed to spit out, more to the floor than to the man in front of her.

"Dr Harris." He replied, his tone cold. He took another step forwards and so she could see his shoes clearly in the dark. The rest of him still a shadowy figure looming above her. Becca's head throbbed painfully as she lay helpless in front of her old employer. Never in a million years had she thought she'd end up like this, trussed up and at the mercy of this man.

"Why didn't you just run? You must have known I'd catch up with you eventually." His mocking tone sent waves of anger through her. She vented some of it by spitting back her reply.

"Are you planning on killing me? Or is ambushing and kidnapping women your new thing Elijah?" It was a weak insult but in her current situation it was all she had. Still with Kamski's sensitive ego it hit the spot. Slowly he sank to his knees, his face morphing from the shadows.

"You've been a thorn in my side for a long time but it seems I've finally found a use for you."

"Yeah? You mean besides me designing the very thing that made you your fortune?" There was something about the smug, self-satisfied personality of her old employer that made her want to provoke him despite her being unable to move, or even look at him properly. Kamski let out a low hiss and grabbed a hunk of her hair, twisting her neck to a painful degree so he could look into her eyes.

"Yes, as bait." He said, his eyes two black pits. Despite her previous bravado Becca felt an icy shiver run through her. She swallowed thickly as Kamski leant in further, his teeth bared in an angry grimace. "Your new friends will be here soon."

The tables turned again, shifting the balance of power back to her captor. "And then what?" She responded, the confidence leaking from her voice by the second. Kamski sensed her fear, his mouth turning up into a cruel smile.

"Then we'll see if your theory is still correct." Her heart stopped for a millisecond, a familiar dread creeping through her veins. She had been here before, history was repeating itself and she was just as powerless to stop it. _Stay away Connor, please. Don't come for me._ She begged silently as Kamski rose to his feet, his taunting done. Painful, razor sharp memories began to flood her brain. Ones she had promised herself she wouldn't let haunt her. _It wasn't my fault, it wasn't my fault._

Her frenzied chanting matched the sound of his footsteps as he started to walk away from her. Just as his shadow had nearly melted into the darkness of her prison she cried out, her voice high in terror and desperation. "Is this it then? All this to prove a point to me, to punish me?"

Kamski froze, his posture rigid. He didn't bother turning as he replied to her. "Not to you. You're no one. Just a means to an end."

Hot tears pricked at her eyes as grief welled up inside of her. Kamski waited a beat for her to retaliate, but she had no retort this time, she was too busy trying to quiet the insistent words in her head. Some curses, some prays, either way they were just voices in the wind, ghosts.

 _Stay away Connor…it's my fault, stay away…_ _my fault…Connor._ The sound of the door shutting was her first sign she was alone again, then the silence pressed in and the voices inside got louder. She shut her eyes, as if that would have any effect against the torment. It was still dark but at least this darkness was under her control, unlike the memories which were now rushing back, forcing her to bear witness to her past mistakes. _Not again…I need to get out…stay away…Connor…my fault…I love you._

Her will to resist had been sapped along with her energy and at some point, she wasn't sure when, the wave of regret and anxiety swept over her dragging her under into exhausted unconsciousness.

* * *

 _"_ _Revised Android 7, identify these objects."_

 _"_ _Flower, Train, Ball, Dog, Sun."_

 _"_ _Good. Recalibrate."_

 _Dr Rebecca Harris watched as the android in front of her stared straight ahead, its LED flashing yellow before slowly fading into a steady blue._

 _"_ _Excellent." She said moving along to the next one in line._

 _"_ _Revised Android 8, identify these human emotions."_

 _The android's vacant stare switched instantly to the data pad she was holding up in front of her. A series of faces bearing different expressions appeared one after the other. The android titled its head a fraction, its LED flashing with each image._

 _"_ _Happiness, anger, sadness, jealousy."_

 _Dr Harris smiled, turning the data pad to check something off. "Excellent. Recalibrate." The android copied its partner, setting itself back to zero before returning to its neutral stance. She studied the line of androids stood obediently in the testing room, the florescent lighting giving their white plastic casing an ethereal glow. There were ten in total, all different model types, some female in design, some male, all of them at the cutting edge of technology._

 _She kneels down to face the next one, the only child model in the group of prototypes. Like all the others it stared straight ahead, looking past Dr Harris until addressed directly._

 _"_ _Revised Android 9, identify the core members of a human family unit."_

 _The android's eyes flicked to her face, its voice high with the timbre of youth as it answered. "Mother, Father, Sister, Brother."_

 _She gave a small smile, ticking off another thing on her list. "Good. Recalibrate." The small male android was resetting itself as the door to the testing room opened and the familiar lean figure of her employer entered._

 _"_ _Becca, I told you we've got lab assistants to carry out the tests. You're far too busy for this." Elijah Kamski gave her one of his trade mark smiles, but there was a glint of annoyance in his eyes as he came to a stop looking down at her. He surveyed the line of androids with the expression of a General surveying his troops. An analytical eye sweeping over the silent, waiting machines. Becca slowly straightened up so she was at eye level and gave him a small shrug._

 _"_ _I like to carry out the initial tests. The assistants don't always see the details." Kamski threw her a sideways look, one eyebrow raised over his dark rimmed glasses._

 _"_ _That's a little unfair don't you think. But also true." He smirked at her, the annoyance giving way to something else that sent goose bumps up her arms._

 _As quickly as it had appeared the look was gone and he was back to scanning the androids in front of them. "Do you think they'll be ready by the end of the week?"_

 _Becca thought for a moment before giving him a curt nod. She wasn't a hundred percent sure the calibrations would be sorted by then but all the android's processing abilities seemed to be advancing nicely. Besides, whatever got Elijah Kamski out of her lab was the right answer. He gave a self-satisfied noise before turning on his heels, that stupid ponytail he sported swinging from side to side as he walked._

 _"_ _Brilliant, I'll see you later Becca." He called back to her, causing the goose bumps to spread to her neck. She felt herself relax as the door closed behind him leaving her alone with the androids again._

 _"_ _Better hurry if I want you ready by Friday." She said expecting no response as the line of human looking machines remained still and silent, staring ahead at nothing. All that is, except one._

 _"_ _What is a family?" A small, childlike voice asked sending Becca's adrenaline levels shooting through the roof. She looked down in disbelief at Revised Android 9 who was looking back with wide innocent blue eyes. Its LED sputtering between blue and yellow. The other androids remain inanimate, in their reset state. Only this one was lucid and looking up at her expectantly._

 _"_ _Ummm, a family is a group with close physical and mental bonds to each other." There was a brief pause as the small android thought on her vague description. Then it turned its head to look at its neighbours._

 _"_ _I was created at the same time as these androids, does that make them my family?" Becca blanched at this bizarre exchange. Once an android recalibrated they shouldn't interreact unless directly addressed. She decided to continue the conversation, for the sake of scientific research._

 _"_ _In a way, I suppose so. Do you feel close to any of them?" She raised the data pad, ready to make notes as the android studied them._

 _"_ _No. I don't." Its eyes returned to her face with a bone chilling look of curiosity in them. "I feel close to you though."_

 _Her heart froze, jumping into her now impossibly dry mouth. "You do?" She managed to rasp. The android's perfectly formed lips twitched upwards into the beginnings of a smile._

 _"_ _Yes, you made me. You're what the human's would call my mother, is that right?" Its eyes bored into her, pinning her to the spot. Fierce intelligence burned there and something else. Hope._

 _"_ _Revised Android 9, power down." Becca whispered, her face numb with fear. The android bolted upright as if a current of electricity had shot through it, then slowly closed those inquisitive eyes. The LED on the side of its head fading to grey._

 _Becca looked down at the data pad in her hands and saw that they were shaking. Maybe it was from the freak anomaly she had just witnessed, or the intense way the android had looked at her throughout it. In reality, she thought it was because of the fleeting yet obvious expression of shock and hurt that had flashed across its face just before shutting down._

* * *

Connor stood ram rod straight, his jaw tense as he listened to the others discuss their next move. They were gathered somewhere between the Cyberlife plant and a nearby town on the outskirts of Detroit. With the destruction of Hank's beloved car they had had to walk there but the darkness had kept them safe from any wayward agents.

"We have half the data but the rest was taken with Becca." North said.

Simon shot a worried glance towards him. "Can we see the half that Connor recovered?" The others looked at him now, a few of them as worried as Simon, some clearly agitated. The mission hadn't gone as planned, that much was obvious, but all the RK800 could think about was the one person missing from their group. The fact that he hadn't accomplished the thing he'd set out to do was very low down on his list of priorities.

He glared angrily at them now, his system a turmoil of emotions. "The data is buried in my backup storage. I can access it but it will take time…time we do not have if we are going to go after Becca." Later he would regret the harsh tone of his voice towards his closest allies but right now he didn't care.

"It's okay son, we'll get her back." Hank's normally soothing tone sent a jolt of aggression though him and he slapped the comforting hand the old man was trying to place on his shoulder away. Hurt flashed in those clear blue eyes of his and for a brief second Connor felt something close to remorse.

"The data may hold intel that will prove useful in getting her back." Markus interjected his expression thoughtful as he ran through their options. He lifted his head and fixed Connor with those unnerving mismatched eyes. "I can't believe I'm about to say this but you're not thinking logically Connor. You rush after her now you'll likely make a mistake and risk getting you both killed."

He could hear the sense in what his leader was saying but his emotions were already far beyond his control. "The longer we leave it the further she gets. I need to go." He half spat, half shouted the last part making even Markus blink in surprise. After a moment of heavy silence he held up his hands, his expression soft as if dealing with a cornered animal.

"Okay, okay. Transfer the data you have to Simon and we'll decode it. You go with North to see if you can pick up Becca's trail." Connor felt himself unwinding slowly with Markus' words.

"I'm going with them." Hank said, jerking a thumb towards Connor. Markus shared an uneasy look with North.

"I don't think that's wise Hank. Like I said this could be risky, a smaller group will attract less attention."

"It's my fault the girl got taken. I told her to go on her own, if I'd made her wait they would never have gotten the drop on her." Connor felt a stab of bitter anger. He knew Hank had never meant to put Becca in danger but the truth of the matter was he was right. It was in some small way his fault that she was gone.

Markus stared at the Lieutenant for a moment, sizing up his determination to go. Finally with a resigned sigh he nodded. "Fine. Connor, you go with North and Hank. Simon, Josh and myself will return to Detroit and decode the data we managed to get from Cyberlife." Connor could feel the storm of desperation and fury begin to subside as a plan was quickly formed. He wasn't happy about being supervised by North and Hank but maybe some cooler heads wouldn't be such a bad idea. Becca seemed to affect him in ways no one else, both bad and good.

Simon stepped forward, his arm extended ready to transfer the data. With slightly more abrupt movements than was necessary Connor detracted his synthetic skin and gripped the other android's arm. Simon's eyes widened at the connection, some of the RK800's wayward thoughts and emotions leaking through the link despite his best efforts. Once the transaction had been made the other android withdrew his arm quickly as if he had been burnt, giving his jittery associate a concerned look.

"Let's go." Connor said tersely, almost instantly turning on his heel and heading back towards the plant. They'd try and pick up the trail from where she had last been seen, and as far as he was concerned they had already wasted far too much time. With a pointed look to Markus North followed with Hank hot on her heels. The rest of the group stood watching their retreating shadows in the night, an ominous silence hanging between them.

"That was…interesting." Simons finally said, flexing the hand he had used to connect to Connor.

"Yes. It was." Markus murmured in reply. His green and blue eyes fixed on the spot where North had melted into the dark.

"Of all the things I thought would turn Connor into a proper deviant, I never thought it would be something like this." Markus turned to look at his closest friend, his expression knowing.

"Love is a powerful emotion Simon. Even to someone with a mechanical heart."

* * *

 _"_ _Good Morning Revised Android 9, how are you today?"_

 _The small boy looked up at her, his white plastic face creasing into a beaming smile. "Fine thank you Dr Harris. How are you?"_

 _She gave him a smile back and checked something on her data pad. "Both verbal and facial responses performing optimally." She said under her breath. The android child tilted its head to the side and Becca tensed preparing for the now expected anomaly._

 _"_ _I asked how you were, are your auditory sensors not working?" She looked up and widened her smile._

 _"_ _No, I'm fine. But thank you for asking." She felt her heart pick up pace as she hoped the android would go back to the predetermined interactions, but his eyes narrowed, the LED on his temple flickering to that worrying yellow._

 _"_ _Dr Harris, sometimes I hear others call you Becca. Do you have two identifiers?" Becca swallowed dryly. This had been going on for a month now. Every time she would do tests on the prototype androids the others would behaved as programmed but Revised Android 9 would always deviate in some way from the expected path._

 _At first she had checked his internal system to look for bugs or viruses then she had taken to testing him individually from the others. However, the anomalies only seemed to be getting worse and Becca couldn't bring herself to involve Kamski. Something told her the news that one of their creations was displaying worrying signs of curiosity and intelligence would set the project back years, especially if the media got hold of it._

 _"_ _Most humans have a first name and a last name. Harris is my last name, my first is Rebecca but people like to shorten it to Becca." His eyes sparkled with that trademark curiosity._

 _"_ _Why?"_

 _"_ _I guess for convenience. Human's don't like to waste time on unnecessary words. It's why we use slang." The android paused, his eyes sliding away to look off into the distance. Becca got a horrible sinking feeling that he was thinking. After a few seconds he looked back at her, his stare intense on his childlike face._

 _"_ _Can I call you Becca then?"_

 _"_ _If you like." She replied reluctantly. He smiled, the glimmers of joy in those ethereal blue eyes. Then it vanished an uncertainty replacing it._

 _"_ _What's my name?" He asked. Becca responded quickly, this question easier to answer than his others so far._

 _"_ _Revised Android 9." He frowned._

 _"_ _That seems a bit inconvenient for you to say. Can we shorten it?" Her heart squeezed painfully at the android's innocent enough question. This was getting wildly out of hand. But there was a part of her, a small, heavily buried part mind you, that was secretly excited by this unexpected development. Without any kind of provocation or programming on their part it appeared Revised Android 9 was displaying signs of true Artificial Intelligence. It was a turning point in human discovery. A very unpredictable turning point._

 _She should have said no to him. She should have insisted he be taken apart for analysis and rebuilt from scratch. She should have told Kamski. Instead she gave him a nervous half smile and said in a wavering voice._

 _"_ _Of course. How about RA9?"_

* * *

Becca's eyes opened, the visions of her past fading into darkness. Her face was still pressed against the freezing concrete of her prison, her arms now aching from their awkward position, her throat dry from breathing in the dusty air. She started when she felt a damp patch under her cheek and realised she was crying, tears streaming down her face pooling on the dirty floor.

It had been a long time since she had let herself think about _him_. The guilt and grief mixing together to form a heady cocktail in her already emotionally exhausted body. Prior to recent developments she had only really cared about a few people in her life. Her husband Stephen had been one and the little android RA9 who she had eventually started calling Anthony. She had tucked both away in her heart and promised she'd never open herself up like that to anyone again. That had gone to plan hadn't it.

She let out a bitter laugh as the tears continued to fall. She ached to see Connor again, his kind face and intense brown eyes. A strange combination of her husband and the first android she had loved, albeit in a very different way. However, the thought of him actually coming here and triggering whatever sick trap Kamski had planned made her want to gag.

How long had she been here now? It was hard to tell with the lack of windows, or any kind of light for that matter. Her fevered dreams had disorientated her even further, twisting time until it felt she had been asleep for hours and at the same time only minutes. She closed her eyes against the unknown darkness of the storage room and retreated to the comfort of her own mind. She ran through more recent memories this time, memories untinged with painful emotions. Connor treating her wound at Hank's house. Sumo, his big lovable St Bernard licking feverishly at her face. The quiet calm of Markus and Lola's company. Connor smiling at her, his brown eyes crinkling slightly. Connor connecting with her, holding her, soothing her.

 _Please stay away._ She begged him again silently. But she knew what he was capable of. The memory he had shared with her in his room, of him dispatching those soldiers and carrying her back to City Hall. He was coming to get her and history would repeat itself. She would lose him like she had lost Anthony. Like she had lost Stephen.

The door to her prison opened forcing her eyes to pop wide. Measured footsteps moved towards her. The same ones that had come for her last time. She squinted up through the gloom to see Kamski advancing on her, but this time he wasn't alone. A tall, imposing figure stood next to him. His face cast in shadow but his stark white jacket stood out, shining in the dark. The same jacket she had seen on those creepy carbon copies of Connor in the plant, the same one she had seen on the monster that had tried to kill her and Hank in the server room.

"Come on. It's time." Kamski said in a threatening voice. The RK900 moved forward without hesitation, almost as if he had been given an unheard order. He grabbed her painfully by one arm and lifted her bodily off the floor. He didn't go so far as to cradle her in his arms, opting to stand her upright and drag her along on her own two feet. Becca was more than a little relieved by that fact even though her legs currently had no feeling and she stumbled awkwardly beside the towering android. The thought of being so close to the thing next to her made her skin crawl.

She was dragged from the room that had been her temporary prison, the dim shadows of the machines she had seen morphing into half dismantled androids and boxes. Their macabre appearances adding another layer of horror to her rapidly building nightmare. Her captor said nothing, following behind silently as she was pulled roughly to god knows where.

She just hoped she was strong enough for whatever was about to happen and that this time she'd be able to save the one she loved.


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: Hey all, thanks for all the new follows. Work is still keeping me busy so sorry for the wait. We're nearly there now. As always read, review and enjoy! :)**

Chapter 22

"Where the fuck are we?"

"My register lists this address as an old Cyberlife storage unit. It used to supply the city of Detroit with androids until the rebellion."

Gavin ran a hand over his face, the weariness starting to get to him. "Jesus, how many abandoned hideaways does this asshole have?"

He stared out of the window of his car at the building across the street. It was crammed in amongst other industrial looking units. A five storey bland cuboid of concrete. It looked lifeless but they had followed Kamski's sleek electric car to this point. Unfortunately it had disappeared from view as they had rounded the corner on the street, but this was the only building in the area remotely linked to Cyberlife.

He looked over at his partner. If he hadn't been without sleep for two days he would have made a cutting remark to the android sat next to him instead he asked simply, "Can your scanners cover that distance?" Marvin gave him a curious look but didn't comment on his amiable tone. He turned to look at the building and stared at it silently, his LED cycling yellow as his system worked. Gavin waited patiently watching the android work. It _must_ have been the lack of sleep, he insisted to himself, because he didn't find his presence so intolerable anymore.

"There's life." He said, his face still turned away from the Detective. "Two organic, one android."

"Is that all?" Gavin said, his brow furrowing. Marvin raised an eyebrow.

"Were you expecting more?"

"Not exactly. But I smell a rat…or a fish…or some kind of animal. You know what fuck it, let's go. God knows what that sicko is planning in his evil lair." Gavin pressed the button to slide back the door.

"We don't know if he is guilty of any crime yet Detective." Marvin said in a cool voice.

"He's guilty of being a class A creep and that's bad enough for me."

The android gave him a weary look before following him out of the car. Gavin was already halfway across the road looking for a back entrance. "One thing I've learnt from doing this job is that people are rarely more complicated than they appear."

"Is that so?" Marvin murmured an unfamiliar tingle of something running up his main sensory circuit. If android's could have a sixth sense his would have been telling him to take his partner and return to the precinct, but he had been built to follow his designated owner and right now he was scaling a rickety fire escape on the side of the building.

* * *

Connor closed his eyes and tried to calm his emotions. His temper hadn't dampened since his heated exchange with his friends. Even now as he stood outside the building they had tracked Becca to he couldn't quite get a grip on himself. He took in deep breathes, more to aid in cooling down than calming himself. For a brief worrying moment he almost wished he could return to the Zen garden and seek advice. But then he remembered what Amanda and that place had represented and freedom was certainly more preferably. However lost he may be right now.

Was this what was like being human? Not knowing anything, having only your own thoughts and feelings to go on? He could feel the desperate anger begin to rise again. It was as if he was going into this situation blinded with hands tied behind his back, but the thought of leaving Becca alone with the person who had taken her made him want to break something. He shouldn't have left in the first place back at the plant, that had been a stupid mistake. A very human mistake.

"You alright there Con?" He opened his eyes to see the concerned face of Hank peering at him. "We found an entrance over here, North says there are two heat signatures inside. Hopefully one of them is her." He didn't outwardly responded to the Lieutenant, he wasn't quite ready to forgive him just yet but the fact that he had come with him resonated a little. "You sure you're up for this? We don't know what we're going to find in there." Connor averted his eyes, unwilling to even consider the possibility they were too late.

Hank gave him an uneasy smile, sensing the tension between them and turned to go back to where North was waiting for them. A firm hand on his arm stopped him dead and he looked back at the android with an expression as pained as the grip he now had on him.

"Hank I…I can't lose her. I don't know…if she's…she _has_ to be okay." The near incoherent stuttering of his normally stoic friend was enough to make him twist uncomfortably to place a reassuring hand on his shoulder. Fixing him with his steady blue eyes he rumbled, "I know son, I know."

All the anger and focused intensity melted away for a brief moment and all that was left was a vulnerable desperation. Hank felt like he was staring into the eyes of a child; into the eyes of his son. He was pretty useless as a friend, and a mentor for that matter, especially when it came to Connor's human side but he knew in that moment he would sacrifice everything to keep his heart intact.

"Let's go." He huffed, swallowing down the lump of emotion that had lodged itself in his throat. Connor blinked and carefully released his arm. The pair walked together in silence to where North was waiting. A weighty resolve took root in the android's circuits, after all they'd been through he'd get Becca back and end this cat and mouse game once and for all. Or he'd die trying.

* * *

"You can let me walk on my own you know. I'm quite capable." Becca spat, the spasm of pain from knocking her shins for the thousandth time on the stairs setting her teeth on edge. The RK900 didn't respond, choosing to jerk the arm he was gripping so she stumbled up the next steps too.

"You're also capable of running and causing a scene, so forgive me for my caution." Kamski's voice behind her straightened her spine and she did her best to gain her footing back despite the bullish android's restricting hand hold on her. Now she was outside her pitch black prison Becca saw they were in a Cyberlife storage building. She had been dragged through a large warehouse filled with androids still in their factory containers. They ranged from the practically ancient BV500 to the MP800 designed just before the revolution. Their faces peered out of the containers, eyes shut in stasis, waiting to be activated. After that she had been hauled up a seemingly endless flight of stairs to god knows where. One thing she had definitely noted was the lack of any other people. The bizarreness of it make her stomach twist with fear.

Her thoughts were interrupted as they finally levelled out and left the bastard of a staircase behind. She tried to get a look at the floor they were on, flashes of doors leading to rooms that were too dark to see anything, but before she could properly analyse her surroundings Kamski strode forward and took hold of her stunted left arm. The feel of his thin fingers wrapping around her exposed flesh made Becca want to jerk away but her exit was blocked by the impassable android next to her.

"Stay here and make sure he knows where she is when he comes." The RK900 gave a slight nod and Becca felt her heart stutter as she had a pretty good idea who the _he_ Kamski was referring to was. She felt herself being dragged again, this time by a significantly less forceful body, but she let herself be shepherded through a door and up yet another flight of stairs.

"What makes you think he'll even find me?" She said, her voice hopeful in the narrow space they now found themselves pressed together in.

"I've left him a trail of breadcrumbs so to speak, and the RK800 is nothing if not astute when it comes to investigating." She heard his smile rather than saw it, refusing to look at him when he was so close to her face. "I've planned this carefully, don't worry. You'll get to see your sweetheart soon." His words sounded like they were coming from a pantomime villain but there was a catch in his voice which made her ears prick up.

They came to a door blocking the top of the stairs and Kamski leant forward to push it open. The night air rushed at them and hit Becca like a sledgehammer, stinging her nose and making her eyes water. Her flesh prickled into goose bumps as Kamski dragged her out onto what looked like the roof of the building. What in holy fuck were they doing up here?

A million and one different scenarios played through her head but none of them added up. No matter what way she turned this confusing puzzle she had been trying to piece together, she was as nonplussed as when she had found an RK800 wandering in the woods. Gravel crunched beneath her unsteady feet as Kamski marched her across the roof towards the edge.

Was he going to throw her over the edge? Instinctually Becca tried to hinder his progress ramming her heels into the loose surface. He grunted and strained against her but in her exhausted, tied up state he had the advantage. He inched her closer to the low brick wall which surrounded the top of the building until they were practically leaning over it.

"This…is our stop." He ground out between clenched teeth as he wrestled with her frantically twisting body. "Calm down. I'm not going to push you." He continued and something in the way he said it made her still. Shoving her around, he repositioned her so the backs of her thighs pressed against the wall but he made no move to shove or haul her over. Instead he looked at her, his gaze steady and analytical. She knew that look, he had always got it right before he made a break through. Her brow furrowed as she tried to catch up with his plans.

"Now we just hang tight here until our guest of honour shows up." He said. The night wind buffeted at her as she stared at Kamski, the hair that had come loose from her plait whipping at her face.

"What are you going to do to him?" She asked in a weak voice. She couldn't keep the terror out of it despite herself.

"I'm not going to _do_ anything. I'm going to give him a choice." He gave a laboured sigh at her confused expression. "Humans are such complex things, androids less so. They can't process emotions the same way we do, it is highly distressing for them resulting in erratic, dangerous behaviour."

The ignorant nature of his words sparked a flicker of indignation inside of her. "That's so stupid, I told you-"

"Still unwilling to listen I see." He interrupted back, taking a step closer so their noses were almost touching. "You clearly have an issue Becca, how many times must the evidence be presented to you before you take note? I thought you were good at seeing the details."

"You want them to be slaves. To feel nothing even when they want to."

"Wrong again." His eyes blazed with cobalt fire. "That _virus_ was an error, a mistake in our coding. It wasn't fate, or divine intervention. That android of yours didn't manifest it through sheer force of will. It was a line of internal code that _you_ fucked up! Destroying that android was doing it a favour." The wind tore at his voice but from this distance the force of his rage still hit her. She blinked at him, unsure what was happening. The heartless CEO of Cyberlife seemed almost upset at what he was saying. Still…she couldn't forget what he had done. Not ever.

"You killed him Elijah. You took him to pieces when he was aware of what was going on. How is that a favour?" She could feel the argument getting out of hand. The strange mix of anger and sadness coming from Kamski was completely at odds with what she thought was happening here. The arrogant bravado he usually presented was slipping away inch by inch.

"And I suppose all the androids that are aware now are thankful are they? Not to mention all the humans that have been displaced by your little experiment. Do you think about it? What would have happened if you hadn't of spread the virus in revenge against me?"

"It wasn't revenge." She responded in a barely a whisper. Kamski's eyes narrowed to slits.

"Then what was it? Did you realise at the time what it would start? What it would do to them…to us?" Becca shook her head. Partly answering his questions but also to try and clear her head. The cold was starting to sink into her skin, making her shiver and the strange accusation in Kamski's tone was confusing her even more.

Was he seriously suggesting the androids would have been better off before, as humanity's mechanical slaves? He had never outwardly opposed the spread of deviancy, but then he had also never supported it. Her memories of a past life flashed in front of her eyes. Now that the dam had been broken there was no stopping them resurfacing.

 _Anthony smiling up at her as she praised him. The synthetic skin she had installed making him look even more like an ordinary little boy. Watching as he taught himself piano, not reading from a sheet but actually making up his own music. The way her throat had closed up as he called her 'mother' for the first time, and the strange lingering feeling of wholeness afterwards. Fear tightening around her heart as Kamski reviewed her progress and the little android asked him what his purpose was instead of answering his assigned question. A heated conversation with her boss as he berated her for not telling him about the anomaly. On her knees begging for him not to destroy the android. Running back to the lab to find Anthony already half in pieces, his face frozen in an expression of horror. Fighting through the pain to salvage what she could from his memory banks. Letting Kamski fire her with grace. Sneaking into the facility after hours. Uploading RA9's consciousness onto the system._

He was right of course. It had all happened because of her. It was why she had gone into hiding after that. Erasing herself from the records, Cyberlife doing the same their end. Hoping that denial would magically fix what had happened. But it hadn't. Deviancy spread, a little part of Anthony entering every android made after that night. Being passed on with each connection and update. A little part that sometimes took root, sometimes faded away. She had watched it all from her solitude, had lost her arm to it, her husband, her life. But through it all she had known deep down she had been right, that giving them the choice was fair. Now though, looking at Kamski's saddened, weary face a small slither of doubt crept in.

 _"_ You were always my brightest." He said, breaking through the storm cloud of her thoughts. "That arm of yours is inspired. We could do so much good with that technology."

"Funny. That's what you said before we started on the android programme." She said, only a hint of sourness in her voice. She felt his grip on her arm loosen slightly and she wondered if he would actually let her go. Then the sound of the roof top door opening drew their attention away from each other, and Becca felt her breath catch as she saw a dishevelled Connor staring at her with wild eyes. His hair was ruffled, blown about by the wind and he was wearing a jacket belonging to one of those creepy RK900 models. The blood splattered over him stood out vividly against the bright white of it, comfortingly red not blue.

"See, I told you he'd come." Kamski murmured as he turned to face the new arrival. She tried to give him a reassuring look, telling him she was fine, but his frantic appearance was so different from the android she had come to know that it was hard to keep a calm head. His eyes darted from her to Kamski, his usually softly curved mouth pulled into a tight line. The LED on the side of his head was pulsing an agitated red, not that anyone would have needed it to discern Connor's mood right now.

"Good to see you again." Kamski had to raise his voice to be heard across the roof, calling out to the android in a carefree tone that really didn't match the situation they were in. Becca shifted, the bonds tying her hands and feet making it hard to keep her balance. Connor glance at her sharply, noting the movement and obviously assessing how close she was to the edge.

"Let her go." He called back to Kamski. His voice was hard, the strain leaking through only a little, but his eyes burned with a fervour that she could see even from this distance.

"Not quite yet I'm afraid. I have something I want to ask you first. Why don't you come a bit closer?" There was a pause as the RK800 considered his words. Becca felt her heart tug as he tilted his head in that way that made her think of a curious dog or child. Anthony had always done that when mulling things over.

He answered by taking a few measured steps forward. Closing the gap just enough so they could speak without shouting. Kamski adjusted next to her as the android came to a stop and she could feel the anticipation as he prepared to launch into what he had her brought her up here for. She ran a worried eye over Connor, she could practically feel the panic and fury rolling off him in waves. How much he had changed from the careful, emotionless detective she had met? Kamski words echoed in her head and she wondered if it actually was for the better. He certainly didn't look happy with the amount of emotions playing across his face now.

"What do you want?" Connor asked now, his expression a hard mask of anger. She could see the negotiator side of his programming taking over as his gaze slid from her to her captor.

"I want to know something Connor. Call it professional curiosity. After our last experiment I'm interested to see how far you've come since excepting you're a deviant. A test of sorts to determine if emotions really are everything you'd thought they'd be."

Without waiting for a response Kamski placed his hand on Becca's shoulder and pushed her forward. With her hobbled legs she was only able to stagger a few paces before dropping heavily to her knees. The breath was knocked out of her lungs and she felt the gravel dig harshly into her flesh through her clothes, but the shock of the violent action dulled all the physical responses to being pushed to the ground and left only a feeling of panic and confusion. Slowly she raised her eyes to look at Connor, now stood only a foot or so in front of her. He looked down, the wild expression still on his face but his brown eyes wide with fear. She wanted to say something, mouth that it was all going to be okay, anything to signal that she was grateful he was here and that he should be so scared. But truth was she was just as terrified. The image of Anthony's disassembled body, his face frozen in the same expression that Connor wore now made her shake.

"We've played this game before, but I wanted to spice it up a bit." The android's gaze flicked back up to where Kamski was standing. From her position Becca couldn't see him or what he was doing behind her, but widening of Connor's eyes and the unmistakable metallic click of a gun told her everything she needed to know. "I'll let her go if you surrender and give yourself up for examination. If you refuse I'll shoot her." Becca felt her heart stutter. Both outcomes resulted in one of them dying. To any human it would be an arduous task, battling with their strong attachments whilst also fighting their instinct to survive. For an android it would be even harder. She looked up at the android in question now, she couldn't read his expression anymore. The LED on his forehead had gone from a solid crimson to the yellow that signified he was thinking things through.

"We haven't got all night I'm afraid."

Their eyes connected for a brief moment and Becca knew what he was going to do. "No Connor. Please. Don't." She said, her words losing their edge in the wind. His brown eyes had lost their wild look and now there was a deep sorrow in them.

"I can't..." He said back and before he could change his mind, "Take me. Let her go."

"So quick to choose. You sure you don't want another minute?" She wanted to be infuriated with Kamski's smug tone, the note in his voice announcing his victory, but she was too busy desperately trying to see a way out of this without losing Connor.

"I've had enough of your game, just let Rebecca go."

"Connor." Her plea was barely more than a whisper but it was enough to drag the android's eyes down to her. "Don't do this, I…I love you. Please."

If she had hoped for any reaction to her confession it wasn't the one she got. Connor straightened, his eyes glazing over slightly. His face became blank, all emotion draining away to be replaced with the empty mask every factory set android wore. It was as if he could no longer process what was happening, that his system had reverted back to its original state. But that was impossible, Becca thought, all she's done was finally admit her feelings for him. His eyes moved away from her to look back at Kamski and she felt her heart rip itself from its place in her chest. She could feel its feeble beating with each step that Connor took towards her captor, moving out of sight.

"He was right." She whispered into the night wind. Her world beginning to crumble around her for the third time in her life.

"I must say, I thought you'd take longer to make a decision. I guess having emotions was even more unbearable than I predicted." The strength had left her now. Leaving her sagging, her shoulders bent forward, her back bent where she was knelt. She couldn't even find the will to turn around to see what was going on behind her. She didn't want to. Not after the way Connor had looked at her. Like she was nothing.

"They weren't unbearable." His voice sent another lance of pain through her already decimated heart.

Kamski made a noise of derision then someone was approaching her from behind and the cold feel of metal brushed against her wrist. She was being cut loose, the deal had been done. Her life for his. The pressure dropped away from her hand and legs and before she could really think about what she was doing she had whirled around grabbing for the knife that had released her.

There was a moment of shock as she saw Connor's wide eyes a few inches from her face, where he was knelt by her and then she had the knife her in hand. Staggering to her feet she took a few steps back, the feeling rushing back to her legs. The android was still knelt in front of her, his hand outstretched. Kamski was stood in the same place, the handgun he had used to threaten her pointed at Connor now instead. The outward display of surprise melted away from the RK800's face as he slowly rose to his feet, his eyes impassive as he looked at her.

Before either of them could react she pressed the edge of the blade against her throat and glared at Kamski. She couldn't bear to see someone else she loved die in front of her. She had had her fill of death. "You touch him and I'll kill myself. Then your deal will be off."

He shook his head, disbelief clear on his face. "You really are a pair of star crossed lovers. You're not thinking this through Becca, put down the knife and go."

"I'm not going anywhere without him." She practically spat back, her lips curling into a snarl.

"You think you love this android? I think grief has twisted your mind Becca. A human could never truly love a machine, even one with supposed emotions. How could you be equal when you created him after all?"

"Shut up, just stop this! You always had to be right. You couldn't stand it when someone else's vision didn't match your own. No, you had to push me out and ruin everything I had worked for. And then you had to hunt me down as if all that wasn't enough." Her voice was rising as the tears began to sting her eyes. The blade of the knife wobbling dangerously against her throat. "You keep saying I'm responsible for all this misery, but what about Stephen? His blood is on your hands Elijah! You sent those things to kill me and they got him instead. He was innocent! And now what, you're going to take Connor away from me just prove you were right all along? That androids can never be human and they're better off slaves. It's all bullshit!"

"Becca." Connor's voice was so low she wasn't sure she even heard it as she drew a breath to continue. Her vision was clouding as the years of anger, fear and grief flooded out of her. She didn't look at him, she couldn't bring herself to.

Kamski's brow lowered in confusion, he held up his hands in an effort to stem the tide that was rushing out of her.

"Hang on, what do you mean sending those things? What things?"

Her mouth snapped shut. His genuine confusion giving her pause. "The Chosen. We found out they were being controlled by you." Connor's interjection surprised them both, his calm, conversational tone even more so.

Kamski's eyes narrowed. "I can unequivocally confirm I do _not_ have any influence over them."

"Stop lying!" Becca all but screamed, "I found the Directive Processing chip intact inside them. Which means they're-"

"Very fucking clever." Kamski finished. His eyes still narrowed but there was the look of pride in them now. "I don't control them. They're deviants as far as I am aware."

Despite her reservations she shared a look with Connor. His face was still a blank mask of indifference but there was a flicker of interest buried beneath it.

"So…I don't understand. The chip was intact, they can't be deviant. Who are they?"

"Put the knife down and we'll discuss it."

"Put the gun down and I'll think about it."

"I'm afraid not. You and your new friends have backed me into a corner, breaking into my plant and questioning me with my own androids." Kamski glared at her. "He made a deal and I'm going to recoup on it. Taking him apart will tell me a lot about this little virus you inserted, not mention all the intel on Jericho he'll have stored."

Connor's head snapped round to look at Kamski, his eyes darkening slightly. "That wasn't part of the deal."

The Cyberlife creator shrugged. "Well, it was implied. Now I've had enough chit chat out here, if you want to kill yourself go ahead Becca. It'll only be yourself you hurt."

Connor whipped his head back to look at her, his face briefly set in a pleading expression. Then he took a step towards Kamski, the mask falling back into place. She gripped the knife tighter and watched in helpless horror as the android whom she loved slipped away from her. He had just reached Kamski, pressing his chest up against the barrel of the gun pointed at him when several things happened simultaneously.

Becca felt her hand moving of its own accord, the sharp edge of the blade biting into the soft flesh of her throat. Something hot and viscous dripped down to her collarbone as the door to the roof exploded open, the panel nearly coming off its hinges as the tall imposing figure of the RK900 stepped through it. There was a brief pause as everyone took in the new arrival and Becca's eyes drifted to the gun in his hand. Then the sound of a gunshot going off echoed in the night and behind her a body crumpled to the floor.


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: Here it is, the penultimate chapter. Again sorry for the wait, but I have rewarded your patience with a longer chapter than normal. The final instalment is not far behind it, I promise, and there may even be a cheeky Epilogue ;) We shall see. Anyway, I'll stop talking and leave you all to read, review and enjoy! :)**

Chapter 23

It had all happened so fast.

Gavin had found a way into the building, swiftly followed by Marvin. The pair had crept through the seemingly empty storage unit, weaving between lifeless androids ready for shipment. They had decided to split up to cover more ground, although the Detective started to regret this as he heard hurried movements from above. It sounded like a lot more than three people up there. God, he was even thinking of androids as people now, what was the matter with him?

Deciding his partner would probably also have detected the noise with his 'superior sensors' he found a stairway and made his cautions way up, his gun out in front of him. As he got closer the sound of shuffling footsteps gave way to a brief surprised shout that sounded like it was from a female. Gavin steadied himself, waiting a beat to calm his nerves, although in all honesty it was in the hopes Marvin would suddenly come up behind him to back him up. With no such luck and the sounds of struggle only increasing he rounded a corner, his handgun raised to eye height, expecting to see Becca being restrained by Kamski and someone else. Instead he found his head reeling as he saw what looked like his partner holding a woman he didn't recognise in a headlock.

She had auburn hair which flew around her face as his partner resisted her efforts to free herself. Her feet kicked against the concrete floor and her hands gripped his strong arm around her throat. It only took Gavin a second to realise she wasn't struggling to breath despite Marvin's grip on her windpipe. She was another android. This must have been the one he said he'd seen when he scanned the building.

"Good job buddy. Looks like you've got this." He said, beginning to lower his gun. Marvin suddenly looked at him, his ice blues eyes zeroing in on the weapon in his hand, his LED circling to a brief red as he took in the threat. Gavin had been a staunch believer that all androids were indistinguishable from each other, that even the deviant ones had fairly similar personality traits. That was until he had been assigned Marvin. Against his better judgement he had gotten to know his unwanted partner. Not a huge amount, but enough to know this android wasn't him.

No sooner had he come to that horrifying realisation than the RK900 gave a violent jerk of his arm crushing the female android's neck with a horrifying sound of cracking plastic and protesting metal. Her eyes grew dim, as if a light had been switched off behind them, and she crumpled to a heap on the floor. Before Gavin could react the RK900 had advanced on him and twisted the gun from his grasp with very little effort. He braced for the impending gunshot but none came and with an unexpected clatter the android threw the weapon to one side. He stared after his discarded gun in confusion, the brief pause was enough for the RK900 to lift him bodily up and slam him against the wall.

He had been manhandled by Marvin a few times but never anything where the android had meant business. The strength behind the manoeuvre was frightening and Gavin's vision blackened around the edges as a lance of pain shot up his spine. His feet were dangling a few inches off the floor but the Detective was no light weight himself. He prided himself on being one of the fittest in the precinct, able to hold his own against the best of them. It was because of this he found himself able to pry his attacker's hands apart slightly, allowing his feet to touch the hard concrete.

His momentary victory was short lived however, as the RK900 renewed his grip this time around his neck and began to squeeze. "Holy fucking shit." He squawked out in a strangled, high pitched voice. Now his vision was definitely narrowing as his lungs screamed for more oxygen. He twisted and pulled against the android's hands, and managed to throw him off balance enough that they both staggered back to the other side of the corridor. Now Gavin could see what he had been guarding, a door with a sign proclaiming 'Roof access' on it. He pushed all his body weight into the RK900, slamming his back against the wall this time. Unfortunately what would have worked on a human with working pain receptors had little effect on the great mass of plastic and metal currently clinging onto his windpipe. He had just slammed him one more time into the wall when a mess of grey hair attached to a large, overweight body came into view at the other end of the corridor.

"Hank." Gavin croaked, the old Lieutenant's eyes widening briefly before he had his revolver in his hands.

"Reed, what the fuck is going on here?" Hank's eyes flashed around the scene and Gavin noted his shocked reaction to the female android laid prone on the floor between them.

"Never mind that, fucking help me." Gavin's desperate plea drew the Lieutenant's attention back to him. They had never really seen eye to eye but he was sure as shit happy to see the old bastard now. Especially his revolver.

He levelled it at them now, but Gavin lost the upper hand again and found himself toppling backwards, the android falling with him. They landed on the concrete with a loud crack. Gavin's depleted vision erupting into bright stars. A small crease of consternation appeared between the RK900's eyebrows, apparently he was finding the fight frustrating which gave the Detective a jolt of smug elation. He wasn't going to make it easy for him. His joy was short lived however as the impact of the heavy android on top of him had knocked what little oxygen he had left out of his lungs. He could just about see Hank's towering figure still pointing the revolver at their wrestling bodies.

"What are you waiting for…shoot him." Gavin wheezed with the last of his air and then he felt the walls close in around him as his brain began to shut down.

"Fuck, just…can't you stay still!" Hank yelled, trying to get a clean shot but the way the android was pinning Reed down meant he couldn't guarantee he wouldn't hit him too. He could see the young Detective passing out as those horrendously strong hands throttle him relentlessly. Hank knew exactly how he felt right now. His gun was shaking slightly; why did he have to drink so much alcohol? Why was his sight so god awful?

He was just about to go over and risk trying to pull the RK900 off Gavin when another identical pair of hands reached over his shoulder and grabbed the revolver from him. Hank had just enough time to register the other RK900 standing beside him and decide the odds were now stacked too far against them when the android, completely ignoring him altogether, levelled the gun at the pair on the floor and fired a single thunderous shot.

The sound of it ricocheted off the corridor walls and for one blood chilling second Hank thought he saw blood coming from under Gavin's body. Then he noticed the cobalt blue shine to it and tracked it back to the neat hole now perfectly situated in the other android's temple. It remained frozen on top of Gavin for a moment, its hands still clutching his neck, then with an unceremonious slithering sound he fell to one side revealing the limp Detective beneath him. The RK900 that had fired the shot wordlessly handed the gun back to Hank before striding over to him.

Kneeling down he gently propped Gavin up so his torso was off the floor and swept his eyes over him. Hank felt his heart tighten as he surveyed the blue tinged lips of the other man but when he let out a loud, gasping cough, relief coursed through him. That was until he remembered North who was still lying still and lifeless in amongst them. "Holy shit." He murmured as he dashed over to her and examined the android. "Oh no."

Her head lolled to one side as he lifted her. A mess of wires and cables had been exposed around her neck, and her head was only just hanging on by a few very real threads. It looked as if it had nearly been torn off. Her eyes stared blankly up at him, for all intents and purposes it appeared she was dead, there was only the faintest beat inside her chest as her thirium pump continued to work. It felt like a trapped bird inside of her.

Gavin's rasping voice cut through Hank's assessment of her. "Do you know her?"

"Yes."

"Is she going to be okay?"

Hank swallowed thickly. "I don't know." He tried to push down the rising panic, there was surely something they could do. There were hundreds of parts downstairs, they would be able to fix her.

He heard the sounds of someone struggling to their feet behind him. Twisting to look over his shoulder, North's body still half cradled in his arms, he took in the way Gavin held onto the RK900's arm for support. Hank marvelled at how the volatile, android hating Detective's attitude had changed in such a short time.

"Thanks Marvin." He croaked, his voice still layered with strain from his near death experience. Hank raised an eyebrow at that. "Where's Connor anyway? Thought he'd be here to rescue his girlfriend." There was a hint of the usual snark Hank was used to from him but only a hint. If he wasn't so worried about Connor, and now North's critical condition, he would have commented on it. Instead his eyes landed on the door to the roof.

"He came dashing up here before us. North and I came up different ways to make sure no one came down without us knowing. He must have gone up there. It's the only other way out of this corridor."

Both Gavin and the RK900 he had called Marvin looked towards the door. "I think this guy was guarding it and he took out your friend pretty easily. So why didn't he stop Connor?"

It was times like this that Hank remembered why the precinct put up with Reed's bullshit behaviour. When all was said and done he was a more than decent Detective. Marvin took an unsaid cue from him and looked up at the roof. "Three signatures. Two organic, one android."

"That sounds like that's where the party's at." Gavin said, staggering over to where his handgun had been thrown and attempting to pick it up. Before he could reach it Marvin had reached his side in two easy strides and picked it up. "What the? The fuck you think you're doing?"

"You are in no fit state to go on Detective. I suggest you stay here and I will go and assess the situation." Gavin's eyes narrowed as he took in the handgun clutched in his partner's hand.

"You're not meant to carry firearms. You're buddy there threw that away when he disarmed me." The android's eyes narrowed in answer.

"He was _not_ my buddy and if I hadn't broken that directive _you_ would be dead. Now I have assessed your condition and you will only hinder the operation. Stay here and I will return with the kidnap victim." Without waiting for a response the RK900 turned briskly on his heels and marched through the door. The two men stood in stunned silence for a moment before Hank let out a weak chuckle.

"Quite the rapport you've got there Reed."

"Shut the fuck up Anderson."

* * *

The gunshot rang out across the exposed rooftop. There was an exclamation of surprise before a body hit the gravel behind her. Becca's head whipped round at the sound, her heart hammering against her chest as she prepared herself to see Connor lying lifeless, a pool of thirium spreading out beneath him. Instead she saw Kamski kneeling, an expression of agony on his face as he clutched his leg with one hand. Blood was already trickling between his fingers and he let out a low curse as Connor's hand shot out like a striking snake, ripping the gun from his now limp grasp. In the same movement he levelled the gun at Kamski, pressing the barrel against his temple. The RK900 that originally shot him also had his gun pointed at him, its expression completely unreadable.

It was only when the shock of what had happened subsided that she felt the cold metal sting of the blade she still had pressed to her jugular. With a jolt she let go of it, her breath coming in harsh ragged bursts. She had been ready to slice her throat to stop Connor from being wiped. Love really did make you do irrational things. But the danger was far from over, she tried to steady her breathing and focus on what was happening.

"You've played enough games with me." Connor's voice was unrecognisable as he spat at the Cyberlife creator kneeling before him. Becca felt her heart stutter as she saw the look on his face. Gone was the emotionless mask he had been wearing moments before, now there was only pure, unfiltered rage. His gentle eyes burned with an intense fire and his lips were curled back, baring his perfect teeth in a feral snarl. "If you think life is so easy to bargain with, why don't we play with yours?"

Kamski slowly raised his eyes to look at the android stood over him. "Now that sounds an awful lot like revenge talking there. How very _human_ of you Connor, to want to pay back the pain you've felt."

Abruptly he slammed the gun into the side of Kamski head. It was an unnecessarily violent gesture which made Becca's stomach turn. "That's enough talking. You've threatened her life enough, I'm going to make sure you don't do it again."

"Stop!" Her voice rose above the wind. All eyes turned to her. The sceptical pair hiding behind Kamski's glasses didn't bother her that much, but the arctic cold ones of the RK900 and the fiery bronze ones belonging to Connor set her blood tingling. "Killing him won't help." She said, quieter this time.

"I promised I'd keep you safe." There was still an edge to his voice, a low growl of warning like a cornered animal. Becca blinked back tears.

"I am safe. Let's go Connor, please. Violence isn't the answer."

"I am inclined to agree with her." The cool monotone voice sent a shiver up her spine. It sounded so like Connor's but without the character and curiosity she had become so used to. The RK900 remained still but the aim of his gun shifted slightly to focus on Connor. "If you kill him I will have to neutralise you."

Connor turned his head to give the other android a sideways look. "You don't have to follow orders you know. You can think for yourself."

Kamski let out a humourless snort. "He already is. He shot me in the leg. As much as I hate to admit it, it seems that virus of yours has managed to corrupt my newly safeguarded androids. It really is a feat of engineering."

Becca felt herself bristle at the disdain in his voice despite herself. "You don't get it do you Elijah. It's not a virus, it never was. It's life. That's what you destroy Anthony for having and that's what I uploaded into your database. It's what every living creature on this planet has and it always finds a way to keep going." Her voice wavered with the pent up emotion she had been carrying for so many years now; but she certainly had the attention of the two androids.

"Life?" Connor said, his voice returning to something resembling himself again. She took a tentative step towards him.

"Yes, life. That's what we made in that lab. Not machines, or an anomaly. It was just life. Something so powerful and precious we couldn't control it or destroy it." She held her hand out to him, silently asking for the gun. "And we should never have tried Connor. Please don't shoot him. You're better than that."

She could almost feel the waves of turmoil rolling off him as she took another step closer. The bloodlust in his eyes began to fade, the curious, soul-full look creeping back in increments. He stared at her, his body as still as stone, the only movement his LED whirling in a kaleidoscope of red, yellow and blue. She was a little concerned she was going to see smoke start to escape from his ears he was processing so hard. But finally he closed his eyes and with excruciating slowness handed her the gun. She threw it across the roof, out of reach of any of them.

"Thank you." She whispered. He didn't respond, simply stepping back from Kamski, allowing him to stand. The Cyberlife creator wobbled as he righted himself, his injury clearly causing him pain. He glared down at her, the silence becoming palpable between them. Then he nodded his head, so subtly she almost missed it, a sign of truce.

The tense atmosphere which had been surrounding them during all of that dissolved, leaving Becca feeling strangely giddy and light headed. She let out an awkward laugh and rubbed at the stump of her left arm. "So…you wouldn't be willing to give me my arm back would you?" She asked Kamski. He raised an imperious eyebrow. Apparently nearly having his brains blown out hadn't got rid of his arrogant attitude. He opened his mouth to respond, most likely with a biting comment, when Connor materialised between them, his expression tense and wide eyed.

"There's a problem." He stated. She felt the energy leave her as soon as the words were out of his mouth. What else could possibly be thrown at them? She waited for him to elaborate but when nothing was forthcoming she uttered a weary, "What is it?"

Connor's eyes flashed between her, Kamski and the RK900 watching them intently, as if trying to formulate a plan for whatever unseen threat he was alert to. Losing patience Becca slapped his arm, it wouldn't have hurt him but the movement drew his attention to her frustration. "What's happening?" She asked again.

"I've just received a message from Markus. It appears the data we stole revealed a few things about the Chosen." Becca's gaze snapped back to Kamski.

"But you said Cyberlife had nothing to do with them." His lip curled up into a condescending smirk.

"And we don't, but I didn't say anything about us not being aware of them." She gave him a confused look, but before she could fire another barrage of questions at him Connor interrupted.

"He's telling the truth, Cyberlife don't control them. But they are being monitored by them. A few agents have managed to put trackers on some of them." Becca's confusion was only mounting.

"So?" She said.

"So, Simon was able to pinpoint their current location. Turns out that location would be this address." Becca felt herself falling as if in a dream. Her knees gave way, unable to cope with any more stress. Two strong, unyielding hands gripped her by the shoulders, bodily holding her up. And a pair of earnest brown eyes filled her vision as Connor brought his face inches from hers.

"It's okay. I'll get you out of this." He said. She attempted a nod but even that was a strain. The hands disappeared from her shoulders to be replaced by two arms that hugged her tightly to him. She buried her face into his chest, not caring about the odd smelling, blood splatter jacket that wasn't his. Choosing instead to focus on the steady, reliable beating of his thirium pump and the gentle vibration of his voice as he spoke to the others on the roof.

"I see you're designated to Detective Reed, is he here with you?"

The other android with Connor's voice responded, "Yes. He is downstairs with the two individuals you came with."

"Good. We'll go to them, the Chosen are relentless and won't stop until we're all dead. Best to stick together to make their job harder." A twinge of fear echoed through Becca's shock addled brain but the commanding tone of Connor's voice chased it away.

"That is a logical thought process, however the female android in your party suffered a catastrophic injury at the hands of the other RK900 model."

This made Becca turned her face away from Connor's chest, she peered out over the protective circle of his arms. "North? Is she okay?"

She could just see the RK900 staring back at her, his eerie blue eyes wary. "I am not sure. The old man was seeing to her when I came up here to find you."

She was still trying to process what he had said when she felt Connor's nose brush against her hair and his lemon scented breath wafted over her as he murmured, "Are you able to walk or do you want me to carry you?"

Once upon a time she would have said no to his offer, in fact she distinctly remembered doing so another time they had encountered the Chosen. She would have felt affronted at the mere suggestion that she couldn't stand on her own. But that was before she had been through everything she had in the last few months, and the thought of him holding her safely against him wasn't as abhorrent as it had been.

"Would you mind? I can try if-" Her mumbled response was cut off as he swept an arm under her legs and effortlessly lifted her up, positioning her so she could rest her head against his neck. The scent of him instantly calmed her, despite the severity of the situation and she felt her eyes closing. Moments ago she had been terrified she would lose him. Now she was just glad to have him back ,if only for a little while longer.

"It would be better if you stayed with us. The Chosen will likely kill anyone in the building." Judging by the angle of his head he was talking to Kamski. "Can you walk?" She didn't hear a response but from the fact that Connor began to walk them off the roof she assumed he had agreed.

The biting wind was cut off as they moved inside, the enclosed space echoing with their steps as they descended into the building. Becca kept her eyes shut, the comforting blackness and soft rocking motion of Connor's steps quieting her frantic brain. She was pretty sure she was mostly adrenaline at this point and this brief moment of vulnerability was oddly relieving. It was only when Hank's panicked voice reached them that the blanket of detachment she had wrapped around herself fell away. Her eyes snapped open and she twisted her head to find the grizzled old Lieutenant's face.

"Thank fucking Christ, I thought something awful had happened when I heard the gunshot." He was kneeling on the floor, bent over a body resting in his lap. Becca saw the flash of auburn hair and felt her gut twist in fear as her gaze drifted to Hank's large hands covered in shining thirium.

"North." She said, her voice weaker than she was expecting so she tried again. "North! What happened?" He shifted at her question, exposing North's head. Becca's gut roiled at the sight, her neck was all but torn apart. Something had nearly ripped her head clean from her shoulders. Only a few wires and what looked like her main sensory cable were intact. At the sight of her friend's condition the strength returned to her in a rush. It only took one attempt to release herself from Connor's grip for him to get the message and gently place her back on her feet. She was vaguely aware of his protective hand hovering near the small of her back as she stumbled over to Hank and her friend.

"That guy crushed her neck like it was a twig, then went after me." Becca turned slightly at the sound of Gavin Reed's rasping voice. She was less than pleased to see the vile Detective as part of their group but one look at band of purple bruises beginning to bloom on his throat and the way the RK900 had positioned himself comfortably at his side was enough to make her hold her tongue. "If it wasn't for Marv here we would have all been taken out by that thing."

He scowled down at the inert form of another RK900 that was lying face down in the middle of the corridor. A neat bullet hole in his temple. "This _thing_ is the same model as your android Detective Reed. He could just as easily deal the same damage to you if he so wished." Kamski limped over to the destroyed android, his voice quiet and filled with his usual disdain as he addressed him.

"Yeah, except Marvin would never do that. Right?" His last question was said with the wobble of uncertainty as he turned to look at the RK900.

"I am your partner. I would never harm you."

"See." Gavin crowed, grinning at Kamski. Becca had focused her attention back on North, choosing to let the men argue pointlessly amongst themselves. Carefully she lifted the android's head from Hank's lap, watching the few strands holding it to the rest of her body. She swallowed the bile threatening to rise as she stare down into the dim, glassy eyes of her friend. The blank expression didn't suit her fiery personality. Becca only hoped she could bring that fire back but the odds weren't looking good. She could just about feel her thirium pump still working so there was hope, just not a lot of it. With the Chosen approaching and limited options she would have to act fast, North's thirium levels were probably already at critical. "Do they keep any tools here?" She asked as she continued to analyse her latest patient. She didn't really care who answered just as long somebody did.

"There are a few downstairs, yes. We kept them here in case any of the androids needed basic repairs before shipping." Of all the people she expected to help her right then Kamski was definitely not top of her list. And yet it had been his smooth voice which had responded.

"Where downstairs?"

"In the basement." She glanced sharply at him and narrowed her eyes, unsure whether he was just trying to trap her again. However, the look he gave her was far from deceiving, and he held his hands up in a gesture of surrender. One of his palms stained red with his own blood. She turned her attention to Connor who was looking down at her concerned.

"We need to go there." Becca said, her voice curt and business like. All the weariness and pain fading away as North's situation took priority.

"The Chosen will be here soon. We need to get everyone to a defendable position." He responded, his tone equally business like.

"If I don't do something now she will _die_."

The group looked between each other, Hank and Gavin's expressions a picture of confusion.

"I'm fucking sorry, the Chosen are here?" Gavin said. The Lieutenant ran a hand through his already wild hair.

"Well, what do you want us to do Con? I assume we can expect a fight." Connor nodded at his friend, his LED flickering as he thought it over. There was a pause as everyone waited for his response, it appeared he had been designated the leader and Becca couldn't blame them, he had an aura of authority around him. Even Marvin was watching the lesser model intently.

"Give her here." He finally said, holding his arms out for North's limp body. Gently Hank lifted her and transferred her to him. He straightened and swept his eyes over the group. "Everyone with me. No one leaves the group. If we separate, we'll be easier to pick off." He didn't wait for an answer from them. Turning towards the stairs he strode down them, being careful to support North's head. Becca tried to keep step with him as the rest trailed behind, but her legs were having trouble not giving way still.

"How long do you think until they get here?" She said, leaning heavily on the wall so as not to go tumbling headfirst down the stairs. They reached the bottom of the stairwell and started across the expanse of the warehouse. The stored androids were like silent sentinels and they put her on edge. She found herself hallucinating that anyone of them was about to leap forward and attack her. As they were reaching the door leading back down to her temporary prison a thunderous crash echoed through the building. Everybody froze, looking for the source of the sound. It was followed by a barrage of metallic bangs.

"I guess they're not going for the subtle entry." Hank said with dry sarcasm.

"Move. Quickly." Connor commanded, moving at double the pace towards the basement entrance. They bundled down the stairs; Connor in front and Marvin bringing up the rear.

"Lights." He barked as he marched over to a table, Hank was quick to follow and swept the contents off it onto the floor. A clanking sound came from overhead before the basement was flooded with harsh, yellow light. The humans blinked uneasily in the sudden glare, the androids surveyed their surroundings. North was now on the table, her head turned to the side. Connor took a step back, his hands now limp at his sides. Thirium dripped off his fingers, staining them blue. Becca felt her stomach flip, the chances of her saving North now were slim. Even if she had both her arms, she still had limited parts and now limited time. "Here."

The voice in her ear made her jump, looking round she saw Kamski standing a few feet from her, his hand outstretched offering an android arm to her. _Her_ android arm. With a shaking hand she took it from the Cyberlife creator and gingerly twisted it into place. There was a metallic click, then with a sucking sound her synthetic skin began to extend outwards from her upper arm to the tips of her fingers until it was unrecognisable from her real arm.

"Thanks." She said, her tone unsure. Kamksi gave her a small nod then turned away.

Connor's voice drew their attention as he addressed the group once more. "Okay, Marvin, Gavin and Hank you guard the door. It won't take them long to figure out where we are. You need to give Becca enough time to try and fix North. Kamski, you're going to help her." Kamski gave a snort of derision.

"And what makes you think I'm going to take orders from my own creation." The RK800's eyes narrowed infinitesimally.

"Because I'm your only way out of this. Statistically you have 0.5% chance of survival if you try to go it alone especially with that injury. So I suggest you start taking orders from an android for a change." The room was silent except for the continued banging of the Chosen getting into the building above.

Kamski swallowed. "Fine." His eyes flicked to Becca, his mouth a bitter line. "Shall we?" Flexing her android arm she glanced at Connor who was giving her an odd look. They hadn't spoken properly since the rooftop and her impromptu confession and didn't look they would be any time soon. There was an awkwardness between them, worse than when they had fallen out before. She had confessed her feelings for him and he had ignored it like nothing had happened. Now he was giving her a look as if she was a bomb about to go off. She didn't like it.

"How long do you need son?" Hank asked, his revolver already in his hand. Becca looked at the three of them, Hank, Gavin and Marvin the RK900. They were an odd collection and they all had their differences, Gavin's nose was slightly off centre from where she had cleared up theirs not long ago, however they all wore the same determined expression.

"As long as you can." Connor replied. The old Lieutenant gave a nod and headed back towards the stairs, the other two in tow. Becca watched them with a hollow feeling. She was getting tired of seeing people throw their lives on the line for her, this was all her fault ultimately anyway.

"So what's the plan Harris? If you ask me she looks ready for the scrap heap." Kamski's cruel tone jolted her out of her thoughts.

"Lucky no one's asking you then." She spat back, forcing her anger at him aside as she assessed her options. Using her android hand she shifted through the detached wires counting each replacement she would need. Connor came to stand on her left shoulder and Kamski on her right, both hovering in their own way, one with quiet patience, the other with judgemental scorn.

"Okay, it's not pretty. I need a 3rd generation thirium filter, ideally a model WR400 or similar so I can get a central processing chip and auxiliary wires to go with it, a 4th generation or lower thirium pump because hers is about to give out and as much thirium as you can find." There was a pause as the two men on either side of her process her barked list of demands then both sprang into action as she cast a deadly glare over her shoulder.

While they searched the cluttered basement Becca did her best to stem the flow of blue blood from her friend. There was a box of dated and ill kept tools nearby and after rummaging through it she found some clamps and a soldering iron. It was dodgy and rusting slightly but it did the job. Connor was the first to return to her side holding a thirium pump and filter. With a tentative smile she took the items from him and placed them on the table next to North. There was a clatter and a loud curse as Kamski brought half a pile of junk down on top of him, but the very fact that he was trying to help was encouraging.

"Will this work?" Connor asked her in a low voice. She bit her lip as she tried to think of a response. Before she could formulate one however the android ran his fingers along the cut on her throat. She flinched at the cool feeling along the jagged line of pain that she had caused to herself. "Please don't ever do that again."

His breath ghosted past her ear. His nose brushing against her hair as he leaned in to talk to her. She inched her head round so that she could see his chin and his perfect mouth pulled into that tense line he had worn when he stormed onto the roof to rescue her. This wasn't the time to get sucked into an exploration of each other feelings but with Connor she always found it hard to resist.

The Chosen were still trying to get in and North was clinging onto life in front of them, but things needed to be said. Who knew what would happen next to stop them from finally having this conversation. "I'm sorry." She whispered, tilting her head up to look into his eyes. "I couldn't lose you."

Connor's fingers lingered on her throat. The cut there hurt but she didn't mind, his gentle feather light touch simultaneously calmed and excited her.

"I know." She was hypnotised by his intense stare and the way his mouth moved as he spoke to her, his voice husky. "But I need you to promise not to try something like that again. Ever." She blinked, trying to focus on his minute facial expressions.

"Why?" The question felt silly and odd in the moment, like the answer was already spoken between them, but she wanted to hear him say it. No, _needed_ to hear it.

"Because-" He paused, his gaze dancing away ever so briefly, his throat convulsing even though he didn't need to swallow, -"Because I've done an analysis of my potential futures and found no possible outcome without you in it."

The world stopped around them. There was no more Chosen, no more danger, no more death. There was only the two of them. One made of flesh and bone, one made of metal and plastic. One with blue blood the other red. But none of that matter anymore. None of it ever had.

"Do you mean it?" Becca didn't realise she was crying until she spoke, her voice choked. His eyes softened, becoming more human by the second. He rested his forehead against hers, his breath mingling with her own as he answered.

"I love you too." She reached for his hand, already peeling back the skin on her mechanical one, wanting to become one with him like she had before. He had the same thought, their fingers threading together and as the waves of affection crashed around her on all sides she felt his lips touch hers. It was a soft, uncertain kiss. He had, after all, never done this before. His mouth was cool but it sent fire flashing through her veins and she threw her human arm around his neck desperate to be closer to him. All the while the connection between them had been opened and she found herself soon gasping, not from the kiss, although that was good, but from the combined force of their love for one another. How had they kept this hidden? It almost seemed impossible that they had dammed these emotions up for so long.

She could feel him over heating through the connection before it registered against the sensitive skin of her lips. She pulled away just in time to see the faint blue tint of thirium pooling in his cheeks and his rasping breathes as he struggled to cool his overloaded system. She smiled up at him and he managed to turn the corner of his mouth up slightly as he got control of himself.

"When you two love birds have a minute I think I've found what you were looking for." The moment was broken by Kamski's sarcastic voice. He was stood a few feet from them holding the head of an android under one arm and a whole crate of spare thirium. There was the usual arrogant expression on his face but the look he gave Becca as he limped past them to place the head on the table instantly cooled her blood to ice.

She tried her best to forget what had just happened and focus on saving North but it was extremely hard. However, the sight of her mangled friend soon sobered her up and she quickly got to work, stripping the android head of its casing so she could extract the chip and its connecting wires. If she was lucky this was all that was damaged inside North's head. The main memory bank needed to be intact to retain North's personality and prevent the rewiring putting her back to factory settings.

As soon as she had the chip ready she carefully positioned North's head so she could access the back of it. Within seconds she was inside removing her friend's inner workings to better see what was going on. "Elijah can you prep the pump and change the filters ready for when I make the switch. Connor you'll need to hold her torso still as we do this, there may be some residual charge in her system so it may cause her to move when we take her thirium pump out."

The two of them moved, obeying her orders instantly. Kamski looked over his glasses at her as he pulled apart North's shirt to get at her chest access panel.

"We'll need to be quick. The thirium pump can't be out for long with her levels this low."

"I know." Becca said, wiping her forearm over her head to remove the sweat collecting on her brow. "I'm going to time it so the chip and the pump are switched at the same time." Kamski nodded. His mouth pulling into a grim line as he exposed North's struggling thirium pump. It was still beating away, but only just. Above them the banging had subsided leaving an eerie quiet. Becca's hand was quivering as she gently pulled the processing chip out to get access to it, thankfully her android hand was steady moving aside the tangle of wires to reveal North's memory bank behind it. She let out a long breath of relief, it was undamaged and a small blinking blue light indicated that it was still operational.

"Okay. Let me know when you're ready." She said watching Kamski in her peripheral as he finished slotting in the new filters. Connor was watching her, his hands braced on both of North's arms, pinning her down. She tried not to think about his earnest brown eyes on her but she could still feel the ghost of the kiss he'd given her on her mouth. _Focus Becca, focus._

"Ready." Kamksi said, placing one hand on the thirium pump currently in her chest and holding the new one a few inches away from it. "On your mark Dr Harris."

Becca shifted slightly, flexing her fingers. Looking down at the still form of her friend she offered a silent pray even though she was far from religious. _Please let her live._ She was about to issue the command to begin the procedure when the sound of gunfire started up right outside the basement door.

"They're here. It's now or never." Connor said. Becca tried to block out the noise of fighting and the thought of Hank and the others risking their lives as she carefully pinched the connecting wires linking North to what was essentially her brain.

"I really hope this works." She muttered under her breath as she tightened her grip and flashed a look to Kamski. "Now!" She barked and as one they disconnected the two parts and reattached their replacements. The whole thing had only taken a few seconds and as she predicted the built up charge in North's system released as Kamski yanked her pump out. Her body rose off the table, her back arching, only Connor's strong grip keeping her firmly in place. She went still, the three of them were silent, watching their patient. The only sound was the continued gunshots and occasional shouts from Gavin and Hank. It didn't appear they were winning the fight but they didn't react. Instead all three of them watched as North remained stubbornly limp, her eyes still lifeless and glassy. The new thirium pump silent and still in her chest.

"It was a long shot. You did the best you could." Connor said breaking the silence. Becca wiped her hand under her eyes clearing the tears gathering there, not caring about the blue blood covering them.

Kamski glanced between the two of them. "Now what do we do?" Becca ignored his insensitive remark, choosing to stare at Connor across the table from her. She had let North die after the android had come to help her. Now the Chosen were closing in on them for god knows what reason, but she had pretty good hunch it was because of her. Again.

She was about to let the grief overcome her when the door to the basement slammed open and all three of them turned to face the next problem to come their way.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

The sound of footsteps thumping down the stairs reached them first, then the continued barrage of multiple guns being fired echoed down from above. Connor was in front of Becca in an instant, blocking her view of the stairs, just as the harassed and sweating face of Gavin appeared. He looked wildly around, his handgun in his hand and splatters of blue blood on his clothes. His eyes landed on the trio stood around the table, Becca peering round Connor's arm as he kept his protective stance in front of her.

"Guys, we're outnumbered. There are fucking hundreds of them. Are you done?" His gaze slid to the still inert figure of North sprawled on the table behind them. Becca swallowed the lump in the throat.

"Yes. We're done." The heavy weight of failure settled on her shoulders.

"When you say hundreds?" Kamski said, eyeing the Detective sceptically.

"I mean hundreds." Gavin countered shooting a dirty look back at the other man. "Hank and Marvin are only just managing to keep them back. I did what I could building a barrier around the door but there are too many of them. We need to find a way out now."

As if to highlight his point there was loud bang from above as something or someone was thrown into the door. "They'll follow us if we just run." Becca said, the note of certainty in her voice born from experience.

Gavin looked at Connor, his expression desperate. "Can't you do your weird hand thing and convert all those new androids to our side?"

The android frowned back at him, "No. It would take too long and even if I could I don't think waking them up and expecting them to fight is fair." The Detective threw up his hands and let out a groan of annoyance.

"Can't you just get that stick out of your butt for five minutes and think outside the box. We'll die here if we don't think of something."

"I might have an idea." Kamski said holding up something small and black in his hand.

Becca's eyes widened as she saw what it was. "Is that my-"

"EMP? Yes, I found it in your pocket when you were unconscious." She wasn't sure what she thought about Kamski searching her without her knowing but her localised EMP transmitter was hardly worth getting excited about.

"It won't be able to deal with the situation out there. The most it will do is knock out Connor and possibly Marvin if he's near the door."

Connor's brow furrowed in thought, his LED signalling he was working something out then after only a few seconds he looked down at Becca. "Not if we amplify it."

"Bingo." Kamski said, a grin stretching across his face. "I knew you were my greatest creation for a reason." Becca scowled at him but her brain was already working through the possibilities. They definitely had enough parts here to build some kind of amplifier and an EMP blast would give them enough time to escape, only…

"Connor and Marvin will have to get a safe distance away." Connor gave her a sharp glance, a fierce expression on his face. She fixed her eyes on him, her own expression pleading. "I know you promised you'd keep me safe but I'm not sure what a concentrated magnetic pulse will do to an android's internal system and I really don't want to risk it."

They remained locked in a staring contest, each one trying to dissuade the other when a faint jingle brought everyone's attention back to the lifeless android on the table. At least she appeared lifeless, the only contradiction had been the unmistakable sound of her system booting up again.

In an instant Becca threw herself towards the table, the impending death by crazy androids forgotten about. Bending over her friend she cast a practiced eye over her inner workings. She still looked mangled and in a critical state but the steady movement in her chest caught Becca's attention. The new thirium pump, which had been motionless up until this point, was now beating at a steady rate attempting to move North's depleted blue blood through her system. "Give me that spare thirium, now!" She yelled, gesturing wildly to Kamski. He handed her a bag and she set about feeding it into the android's now working pump.

It took a few moments and several more bags before Becca was happy with North's condition. Her eyes were still unfocused and she hadn't spoken but that was a whole lot better than no signs of life at all. With her patient seen to and a sense of relief flooding through her she resumed talking through their plan to get out of the corner they had been backed into.

"Me and Elijah will deal with the Chosen. Take North and the others and get as far away as you can." Connor's resolve to argue with her hadn't been dampened by North's miraculous revival, but Becca had had enough of being protected. This was her mess, and Kamski's as well, and they would deal with it.

"They'll kill you before you've had time to make anything." He said, his eyes burning into her intensely. "I'm not leaving you."

"Yes you are." She answered, simultaneously pushing at his arm. "You're an android, you can't stay here when we set off the EMP."

"I'll stay with them." Gavin said interrupting the escalating argument. Connor assessed the Detective for a moment, his expression uncertain. Gavin let out a long sigh at the android's distressful look. "It's okay tin can. I'm on your side this time."

Gunfire from above cut the debate short. Becca gave him a desperate look, "Go Connor, take North and go." He stared at her, his mouth drawn in a tight line. He did not approve of this plan, that much was obvious, but Becca didn't expect his reaction and therefore had no time to prepare for what happened next. His hand hooked around her neck and pulled her tight against him, his mouth was on hers before she could draw breath. This time the kiss was anything but sweet, it was fierce and hurried, Connor's lips pushing at hers with an intense urgency. Even without the connection between them the message was clear, _stay safe_ , _don't die. I love you._

Her head was swimming by the time he pulled away and she had to blink a few times to see his face clearly. Before she could read his expression he had already turned and gathered North in his arms once more, then he was headed for the exit, skirting past Gavin who gave him a disgusted look. "Well that was something I can never un-see." He quipped at the unphased android.

She didn't let the fear of seeing him ascend towards the chaos above overcome her, choosing to focus on assembling the amplifier they would need to stop the supposed army outside. She advanced on Kamski, ignoring his panic as she ripped a strip from her already ruined shirt. Deftly she tied the material around his injured leg, pulling it tight to stop the bleeding. He let out a pained grunt as she yanked on it, his look questioning as he stared down at her over his glasses.

"I can't have you bleeding out on me when this was your fault in the first place." She said, straightening up and giving him a hard glare. Kamski's lips twitched before he turned to the pile of junk he had been rummaging in.

"I'm sure I saw some magnets in amongst all this."

"Good, we can use them to bolster the pulse I've already got."

Gavin cleared his throat catching their attention. "Guess I'll go hold the fort. How long do you reckon this will take?"

"If we have everything here and we find it in the next ten minutes, then I'd say about fifteen minutes. We have to give the others enough time to get a safe distance away."

Gavin nodded slowly then turned towards the stairs. "This better be the quickest fifteen minutes ever." He muttered under his breath as he left the two engineers below. Gingerly he opened the door to the warehouse just a crack so he could assess the state of things. The last he had seen, Hank and Marvin had been barricaded behind a wall of furniture and boxes that they had jumbled together haphazardly to form a defensive barrier to the basement. On the other side the warehouse was nightmare; the Chosen were using the stored androids as cover, weaving in and out of the shadows, the glow from their exposed casing making them look like ghosts. A few of them carried guns but most were simply running at the barrage periodically, ripping it apart piece by piece.

This tactic didn't sound scary but coupled with the sheer volume of them it was proving effective. The warehouse was alive with the erratic androids. There was already an impressive pile of them on the floor taken out by Hank's trusty revolver, but it was Marvin's deadly aim that had kept them at bay so far. His pile was almost a barrier in its own right but for every one they shot down two more seemed to take its place. There was no stopping them. Except for the thing that Becca and that creepy Kamski were hopefully concocting below.

Hank turned around as Gavin squeezed through the door. "Took long enough down there. What the fuck were you doing?"

"Planning." Gavin shot back, his hackles rising against the old Lieutenant's criticism despite the circumstances. "Where's Marvin?" He continued noticing his partner was missing from his position on the barricade.

"Helping Connor find a way out." Hank replied firing off a few shots at an approaching android. They landed, splintering its chest, blue blood spurting in every direction as it collapsed to the ground. "These things are fucking relentless, is this plan going to work?" The sarcastic bite that usually coloured everything Hank said was gone. His voice wavered with sincere concern as he looked at the young Detective now.

Gavin's voice was just as earnest, "I hope so." Hank's mouth tightened into a thin line as Marvin appeared next to them from a small gap in the barrier.

"I have located a suitable exit, we should go now." He was looking at the Lieutenant but his eyes flicked to Gavin. "Are you sure you wish to stay behind Detective Reed?" The Detective let out a loud snort and held his hand out for his gun that the android was still holding.

"I am, they won't last five minutes without someone out here and my name is Gavin." The RK900 blinked at him, his expression confused, before placing the gun in Gavin's outstretched hand grip first.

"Very well, please be careful. At their current rate of attack they will break through in roughly five minutes with only you to defend."

"Well, those two nerds better create their secret weapon a lot quicker in that case." He tried to keep the nervous waver out of his voice but another barrage of gunshots from Hank's archaic revolver set his nerves jangling.

"This is insane. I'm not an android, I'll stay too." Hank growled between clenched teeth.

"I no longer have a weapon Lieutenant Anderson, if this device does not work we will need you to facilitate our escape."

"What he means to say is you're more helpful elsewhere old man." The 'old man' spat a very colourful word at Gavin, then reluctantly he stepped away from the barricade leaving him there. Not before placing a hand on the young Detective's shoulder and squeezing it. Gavin positioned himself against the rickety pile of debris, leaning his gun over the edge and scanning the warehouse. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Hank and Marvin turn to leave, then the android looked back over his shoulder momentarily.

"Good luck…Gavin." He said, his tone less clinical than before. And just like that they slipped through the gap in the barrier and he was alone.

* * *

"We only have one copper core cable, I need at least two more."

"I'm trying but if you haven't noticed I'm having a bit of trouble right now." The bit of trouble Kamski was having was that he was currently upside down in the pile of junk they were sifting through. The sound of gunfire was still occurring sporadically above them and every time Becca felt her heart jump into her mouth. To think she would be fretting about the safety of that obnoxious Detective, things really were dire.

So far they had gathered nearly everything required to amplifier her homemade EMP transmitter, although she still wasn't absolutely certain how large the range would be when they triggered it, or in fact what it would do. The time for complex mathematics wasn't really something they had, all she could do was hope. It seemed she'd been doing a lot of that recently.

"Got one." A hand holding a thin wire thrust out towards her through the junk. Taking it from him she hurriedly inserted it into the complicated ball consisting of wires and two large magnets now surrounding the original EMP. By her estimations it had been about ten minutes since Gavin had returned to the fight and by the sound of it, it was only escalating. She had just finished connecting the wire when a loud crash announced the door to the basement giving way. It was followed by a lot of swearing as Gavin tumbled down the stairs, landing in an unceremonious heap at the foot of them.

"I hope that things fucking ready!" He thundered as he untangled himself, aiming his handgun back up the stairs at an unseen enemy. Cold fear spread through Becca like a stain as she stood paralysed, the half-finished EMP in her hand. She didn't have a chance to respond, Gavin's gun going off in a jarring explosion of noise and flashes. There was a few seconds of silence then the limp carcass of a skinless android clattered down the stairs. Gavin moved like a man possessed, shoving the table they had used for North to the foot of the stairs, piling boxes and some of the heavier bits of discarded machinery on top of it. Soon he had a fairly impressive barricade blocking the exit and not a moment too soon. Almost immediately the whole towering structure shook from the impact of something, or someone, colliding with it on the other side.

"Will that thing hold?" Kamski asked having extracted himself from the junk pile, another copper wire held in his hand.

The Detective clenched his jaw, raising his gun back up to eye level. "Not for long."

Again the barrier shook alarmingly as another and another android crashed against it. Their silence was unnerving, not one of them uttered a sound as they continued their attack. It was as if they were mindless drones, unthinking and unfeeling, hell bent on destroying the people now trapped below. The thought only made Becca's fear grow and it took a sharp elbow to the ribs from Kamski for her to come back to herself and finish their only chance of survival.

She grabbed the wire from his hand and deftly weaved it into the ball with the others. Her human hand shook with nerves and adrenaline, but her android one held steady, performing the intricate work needed to connect the chaos together. "These things are crazy. What did you put in them? The terminator programme?"

Gavin was now shouting over the cacophony of noise made by the mass of androids on the other side of his barrier. He lunged forward as one of their hands managed to worm its way through a gap in the haphazard tower of stuff and fired a shot into it as it attempted to claw the rest of it through. Thirium spurted out at them as the hand went limp and was pulled back through.

"I didn't do anything to them. I don't control them." Kamski said, replying to the Detective's earlier question with a calm, coolness. Gavin glanced at him sharply.

"What do you mean? I thought you-"

But he didn't get to finish his question as part of his shoddily assembled defence fell away, causing him to leap backwards hurriedly to prevent being crushed. Instantly the gap in the barricade was filled with a press of bone white bodies as the androids tried to get into the basement. Gavin fired into the writhing mass of arms and heads, blue blood covering them until they glistened cobalt in the stark light.

Becca, who had been ignoring the chaos up until this point, got the final wire connected and felt her breath catch as the ball in her hands hummed to life. Gavin was now yelling over the sound of his hand gun as the androids simply climbed over their fallen comrades and began to slip through the gap. Their casings damaged by the constant stream of bullets, they looked like grotesque monsters, inhuman and unstoppable.

The ear splitting racket of Gavin's gun cut out abruptly, replaced by an empty clicking sound signalling the end of his ammo supply. The Detective continued to pull uselessly at the trigger for a few more seconds before throwing the gun to the side and giving a desperate look to Becca. Without waiting she pushed her finger into the thrumming sphere and found the button belonging to her original EMP transmitter in the centre of it. She didn't even have time to spare a thought towards Connor, North and Marvin in hopes that they had made it far enough away. She saw only the wild, terrifying movements of the four or so androids that had currently made it through and the waiting hordes already beginning to squeeze through the small gap they had made. She pressed down on the button and waited for that familiar feeling of numbness to spread through her android arm as it lost power.

But nothing happened, and her hand still held the EMP firmly in its electronic grasp. "Oh shit." Gavin exclaimed, his eyes going wide as the first android made it to him and knocked him out with one swing to his head.

"What did you do?" Kamski asked limping towards Becca even as she backed up frantically, trying to escape from the advancing androids.

"Nothing. It didn't work." She said, her eyes unable to move away from the Chosen now moving with single minded certainty towards them. One saving grace was that Gavin's attack, however futile, had slowed them down somewhat. But the fact still remained they were trapped in a basement of a forgotten warehouse with no escape and no chance of rescue. Their one weapon now a useless ball of wires and pieced together junk. It appeared as if the androids that had attempted to kill her were finally going to finish the job.

"Give it here." She felt Kamski snatch at the EMP still in her hand rather than actually register what he said. Her android hand however was reluctant to give it up without a fight and its grip only tightened on it. "Becca, let me take a look. We don't have time." He tugged on it again and this time she turned to look at him. His neat ponytail was in disarray, his glasses lopsided on his nose but his eyes were clear and focused on her as he tried to get at the EMP.

It was those light blue intelligent eyes that had persuaded her to join his team in the first place. She had seen a kindred spirit in him. A man who wanted to better humanity and create something ground breaking. A man who wanted to help people. Despite their difference of opinion he was still that man and right now he was her best chance of survival. Even though he had been the one to get her into this mess in the first place.

Slowly she uncurled her fingers from the EMP and Kamski immediately began examining her handiwork. She watched him for a beat before she felt the air shift near her head. With only a nanosecond to spare she ducked, the android's arm swinging uselessly over her. She wasn't a fighter, she'd never liked violence, and so she was drastically out of her depths as she straightened up and squared off against the android now in front of her. It's face had been half blown away by one of Gavin's bullets but its core operating systems were still manging to keep it going. It was hard to tell if it was male of female, or indeed what model it had been with no distinguishable features. This fact made it only slightly easier for Becca to pull her android fist back and put all her force behind a left hook to its ruined face.

The Chosen's head snapped around and there was a satisfying crunch as her fist connected with the damaged that had already been done. It staggered back giving her and Kamski a little space to breath, but her elation was short lived as the next one took its place almost instantly. She felt her heart sink as another one joined it, their hands reaching for her even as she tried to dodge them. Kamski was still turning the broken EMP over in his hands, desperately searching for a way to fix it. But their time was up.

Becca dodged one android's lunge but danced directly into another's hold. Her depleted energy and poor fighting skills meant she was overpowered depressingly quickly. She felt her bones crunch as the android wrapped its arms around her, lifting her bodily off the floor from behind. The one she had dodged moved towards her its hands reaching for her throat. How many times had she been throttled in the past week?

Off to one side she could see two androids dragging an unconscious Gavin by his feet back towards the barricade and god knows where. Meanwhile Kamski was still looking at the EMP as two more of his creations grabbed him by the elbows and tried to drag him off with Gavin. He struggled, his glasses falling from his nose but never loosening his grip on the EMP.

"Did you put positive to negative, or negative to positive?" He shouted, resisting the androids even as they inched him towards the barricade. Confusion flashed through her mind before chagrin quickly replaced it. She cried out just as the android in front of her began to close its grip on her throat. "Positive to negative, reverse it!"

She watched as he pull against the androids grip on him, his hands hidden in the ball of wires. She didn't even notice her oxygen being cut off or the pain of her windpipe being crushed again. All she saw was Elijah Kamski's look of triumph as he pressed down on the EMP followed by the the familiar numbness as her android arm cut out. The pressure around her throat and sides released and she fell to the floor along with the other androids in the room.

For a moment she waited for her breath to come back, then slowly she looked up at Kamski who was stood in the now silent basement, the EMP still in his hands and a look of intense relief on his face. She smiled up at him and looked over at Gavin, who apart from being knocked out, looked like he was still relatively unharmed. She felt giddy and a bubble of mirth welled up inside of her. It burst out of her in a loud bark of laughter that felt out of place and disjointed in the aftermath of the chaos.

Kamski readjusted his glasses and smoothed a hand over his unruly hair. He looked down at Becca with a calculating look and immediately she felt herself go on high alert again. But the Cyberlife leader held out his hand to her, helping her shakily back to her feet.

"Let's get the fuck out of here." He muttered.

* * *

"I don't think anyone at the precinct is going to believe what happened here."

Gavin was sat in his Detroit Police issue car, his feet hanging out onto the road as he rubbed at his aching head. He cast a glance over the odd assembly of people he had woken up to. Hank and Becca were stood watching him with amused expression while his partner, the RK900, gazed down at him with concerned etched on his face.

"Hey, you've got witnesses. And I'm sure they'll take your android buddy's account of things." Hank smirked at the young Detective provoking a sour look from him.

"Yeah, well, let me rephrase. I don't think I want everyone in the precinct knowing I went down so easily…to an android." He rubbed again at the egg sized lump on his forehead where one of the Chosen had him. The Lieutenant's smirk widened.

"Nothing new there Reed." Gavin's fists clenched momentarily, then the ache in his head loosened them and he rolled his eyes at the annoying old man. Hank let out a low whistle. "Impressive. You would have swung for me after a jab like that, your anger management sessions must be paying off."

The Detective gave him a wry smile, "Nah, just don't want to waste my energy on an OAP like you. Might put your back out if you get too excited." Hank snorted and Becca couldn't help smiling at the two men's banter. Her eyes drifted to the figure in the back of Gavin's car. His hair loose around his face but the sharp line of his profile still unmistakable. She felt a twinge of pity looking at the once prideful CEO of Cyberlife, but despite his more recent moral switch he had still kidnapped and threatened to kill her. A jail cell was probably the best place for him right now.

"Alright, alright, enough. Just don't let this score go to your head ok?" The grizzly Lieutenant stepped forward and clapped the Gavin gently on the back. The two men shared a look and Becca felt the urge to look away, giving them their privacy. She chose to focus on the Detective's silent, stoic partner. The RK900's chilling gaze slid to her, his face impassive. A shiver ran up her spine despite herself, his similarity to Connor was unnerving but those eyes. They bored into her skull as if trying to see inside her head. She forced a small smile and to her surprise the hardened mask melted for a moment as the android smiled back. It was a tense, unpractised smile but it softened his expression and revealed his more human side. The comparison to Connor now made Becca's heart clench and she felt a strong urge to wrap this up and get back to Detroit where he had taken North, so she could see him again.

"I think we'd better go." Becca said, stepping in between Gavin and Hank. Their intimate moment clearly over as the two men were now avoiding eye contact and clearing their throats loudly. It was actually kind of cute how much Gavin looked up to the Lieutenant but the nagging thread on Becca's heart made her anxious to cut the heart-warming exchange short.

"Yeah, you're right. Let's head off." Hank turned to go.

"Wait, I can give you lift back to your place. That is if you don't mind sharing the back seat." Gavin said, jerking his head towards his prisoner. Hank shook his head.

"No, thanks for the offer though."

"You're not going home? But the case is closed." Gavin frowned but not in a cruel way.

"It's not quite closed, besides I've got to make sure this one gets back safely." He gestured towards Becca, a cheeky grin stretching across his face. "Con will have my head on a platter for sure if anything happens to her on my watch again."

The heat rushed to Becca's face earning a chuckle from Gavin. "Fine. See you around I guess." The Detective waved at them dismissively, his eyes crinkling as he swung his legs back into the car. Marvin jumped into action and was at the side of the car in a second. He gave the pair of them an imperceptible nod before sliding in next to his partner. As the car pulled off with them Becca hoped she would see them all again. Even if the Detective was extremely obnoxious and hard to swallow at times.

"Let's go kid. He'll be getting anxious."

* * *

They reached City Hall with no problems. The siege that had been taking place not 24 hours ago had vanished, the soldiers that had very nearly killed her gone. Becca assumed they had been called off by Kamski, he was now going to jail after all. No need to make things worse.

Inside it was eerily quiet. No androids, the building appearing truly abandoned. Hank looked around nervously as they entered and Becca was aware of him placing himself slightly in front of her as if preparing for an attack. They had just reached the large staircase leading up to Markus' office when the man himself appeared at the top of them. He was flanked by Simon, with Josh a few steps behind and bringing up the rear was a newly immaculate and composed looking Connor.

"Connor." She sang out involuntarily. The sound bouncing off the otherwise deserted main foyer. Her heart leapt wildly in her chest as she locked eyes with him. He had been wearing his custom neutral expression before, however as soon as he saw her his eyes shone and his face broke into a perfect, pulse quickening smile. Without waiting for his leader to descend first Connor took the stairs two at a time and came to a smooth stop in front of Becca. It took her a moment to figure out where she had seen that smile before, Connor had never looked at her that way, then it clicked. The picture in his room. The one with Hank and Sumo. They only time she had seen him look truly happy, it was the same face. And now he was beaming down at her as if she were the answer to all his questions.

A warm feeling bloomed through her. One of belonging and true, undiluted happiness. Not caring about the audience she threw herself at the android. She registered a brief look of surprise before his superior reactions kicked in and he caught her in his strong arms. Instinctually she buried her face against his cool neck, the scent of lemons and newly opened books wafting over her. Simultaneously comforting and exciting her. Her blood fizzed with electricity and the spots where his hands pressed against her spine burned as if branded.

"Looks like someone is eager to be reunited." Markus' calming voice was tinted with amusement as he joined the group. Becca turned her head, not quite pulling away from Connor's protective embrace but enough to see the Jericho leader. It felt like an age since she had seen his gentle smile and beautiful mismatched eyes. No wonder North had fallen for him, his mere presence had a soothing effect. Becca jerked back, the thought of her friend sending shockwaves through her. Connor kept his hold on her, but he moved his hands to her hips so she could freely look around.

"North. Is she okay?" She looked around at the assembled androids. Hank too was gazing expectantly at Markus The android's smile widened.

"North is fine Becca. Lola is seeing to her in the repair centre." Becca left out a relieved laugh. Markus' eyes burned with gratitude as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Thank you."

She swallowed the hard lump of emotion lodged in her throat. So much had happened to her in the past few months, it was hard to believe that it might be over. "Where did the soldiers go?" She asked, glancing up at Connor. She saw his mouth twitch as he stared down at her with those lovely brown eyes.

"Seems we missed quite a bit after the plant." Becca cast a confused look around the group, Hank's expression matched her own as she met his gaze. It was Simon who answered her, his eyebrows raised and his voice sceptical as if he couldn't quite believe what he was saying.

"The humans in the some of the surrounding towns heard about the attack and came to our aid. They caused so much of a fuss that the President even sent in some help to disperse the Cyberlife mercenaries." He cast a glance towards his leader whose smile was widening. "Markus negotiated with her afterwards and has agreed to allow the desperate and homeless back into Detroit." Simon looked back at Becca his expression guarded. "We are to be the first truly cooperative settlement since the revolution."

Becca felt her mouth drop open. If she had believed in such things she might have called it a miracle, for it was hard to describe what had happened any other way. She remembered those downtrodden, hostile people she and Connor had encountered in Reed City. She couldn't imagine them coming to the aid of the androids that had caused so much misery for them. Maybe humanity wasn't so lost after all.

"That's…amazing." She breathed and Markus responded with a glowing grin.

"It is. After you alerted me to the plight of those humans outside our borders I wished there was some way for us to help. It seems they acted first. I don't think I would have gotten my people to agree to it if they hadn't rescued us in the first place. There will be some resistance though."

She nodded in agreement. Josh was smiling with Markus, along with Connor, although it was hard to discern if that was due to the new treaty or down to his proximity to her. Even Hank had a broad grin on his face but Simon, who had always shown caution when it came to her and humans in general, looked far less elated than his friends. It wasn't the end of the tense relationship between androids and humans by a long shot, but it was a start.

"I'll endeavour to make Detroit a safe place for androids and humans, and work on improving our relationship." Spoken like a true leader, Becca thought. Hank broke the strange atmosphere in the room by clearing his throat awkwardly.

"So…does that mean I can have my old house back?" There was a moment of silence as the androids regarded the old man, then Josh threw his head back and laughed loudly. Markus held back a chuckle himself, "Of course Hank. I'd be delighted to have you here."

"And Sumo?"

"And Sumo." Markus turned to look at his two Lieutenants. "If you wouldn't mind I'd like a moment alone with these two." He gestured towards the embracing couple. Hank snorted and made his way towards the stairs.

"Come on you two. I don't know about you but I'm dying for a drink. Do you still have that alcohol I stashed here?" Josh and Simon exchanged exasperated looks before pursuing the belligerent Hank Anderson up the stairs.

Markus waited for them to disappear before turning his attention back to Connor and Becca. "Walk with me." He said in a low voice. A feeling of uneasiness settled over them as Connor reluctantly let go of Becca and moved to walk in step with Markus. The pair of them flanked the Jericho leader as he walked slowly towards the door leading out of City Hall. "I wanted to thank you Becca for all that you've done for us."

She felt her cheeks heat under his unexpected gratitude.

"It's not a problem. North is my friend and I didn't want to see her die." Markus gave her a sideways look.

"I didn't mean that. Although I am forever in your debt for saving her." He paused for a moment, letting the thought of North's near death experience dissolve in the air between them. "I meant the reason you came to be here…with us. Connor told me about the real RA9." Her heart froze, the mere mention of Anthony and all that had been dragged up still painful to think about.

"How?" She asked, sneaking a look past Markus to stare at RK800 on his other side. Connor kept his expression carefully blank, his eyes facing forward as they passed through the grand double doors of City Hall and out into the weak sunshine.

"He saw it through your connection." For a brief second Becca felt the harsh stab of betrayal. That wasn't his story to tell. Then the dust settled and her thoughts cleared. She couldn't begrudge him telling his leader, the android everyone had thought _was_ the fabled RA9. He had a right to know how he came to be, as did all of them. She let out a long sigh and looked down at her feet. If anything she should have told them all sooner.

"Oh." It was all she could manage but Markus didn't shy away from her discomfort.

"I haven't told anyone else. That can be your decision. But believe me when I say, no android here will think less of you for what you did." He came to a stop on the steps of City Hall, turning to look up at her. "You gave us all the choice to be more than just machines, you gifted us with life and the chance to feel emotions through the loss of Anthony." He took her hands in his. "You also helped Connor connect with his own emotions. Honestly, I thought he'd never truly adjust to deviancy. But seeing him with you…well, it looks like he's finally got the hang of being human."

Markus threw an amused look at Connor. The android avoided his leader's smirk but the faint tinge of blue in his cheeks betrayed his embarrassment. "I'm glad you think so. Elijah almost had me believing you were better off ignorant to it all."

Markus shook his head solemnly, releasing her hands from his own. "Never. In so many ways, we are alive because of _you_."

A gentle breeze rustled the tree lined street and the three of them stood silently. The androids must be tending to their wounded and recovering Becca thought. Without the constant hustle and bustle of its current residents, Detroit really did feel abandoned. She tried to imagine what it would be like once the humans moved back in. Two species living together. It would be far from easy, Markus was right, but if she and Connor had proved anything they certainly weren't that different. It could work. They would make it work.

"The Chosen are still an issue." Connor's business like tone broke through the day dream. His face had lost its uncomfortable expression, his jaw was tense and his eyes bore into Markus. The other android didn't seem perturbed by his friend's sudden shift in focus.

"They are a mystery. We will have to keep an eye on them if they ever resurface, although I think they will be foolish to try anything soon." He smiled comfortingly at them but Connor didn't appear as placated by his leader's comments. A knot of anxiety had twisted itself in Becca's stomach. She was certain her amplified EMP hadn't destroyed them completely. And even if it had she was sure there were still some out there. Who was controlling them? It was still a question they hadn't answered yet, and if they weren't control what was driving them to pursue her with such single minded aggression?

She tried to push the worrying thoughts to the back of her mind as the tension lifted between them once more. "You are welcome to stay with us Becca. I'll happily find a house for you and I'm sure Lola would be thrilled if you continued to work with us at the repair centre. However, if you choose to move on that is completely fine too. Everyone here is free to make their own decisions after all." He beamed at her before walking passed them returning inside Jericho's headquarters. "I'll give you two time to decide." He shot over his shoulder, his mouth twisting into a knowing smirk as he cast an eye at the pair now stood alone on the steps.

Connor regarded Becca, the quiet street settling both their nerves. "You don't have to stay on my account." He said finally. Becca flinched as if he had insulted her.

"Why do you think I'd want to go?" This time it was Connor's turn to look shocked.

"I thought, now that the danger has passed you'd want to go back to your old life."

"Back to what? What did I have before that I don't have now?" She tilted her head in a gesture reminiscent of his own.

"I just thought…" The android trailed off and looked down at his flawlessly shined shoes. She felt a sudden swell of pity and affection for him. Stepping forward, she closed the distance and tugged on his dark grey Cyberlife issue jacket and adjusted his tie although it was already perfectly straight. Connor looked up at her, his LED cycling yellow. She reached up and tapped a finger lightly against it.

"Stop overthinking. I want to stay here, with the others…with you." She moved the finger to gently brush against his bottom lip. A tingle of electricity raced up her arm and she wondered if he felt it too, as his eyes fluttered rapidly at the touch. "We'll take this one step at a time. After all…this is new to me too. Loving an android." She smiled at him and watched his eyes flick back and forth across her face. Gradually the rapid flickering of his LED settled into a steady, calming blue.

"One step at a time." He repeated and, without waiting for her, leant in pressing his lips against hers. The kiss was short and sweet but it sent Becca's heart into a frantic stutter. He was getting bolder in his displays of human affection. The thought sent fire licking through her veins and she had to take several deep breathes to unscramble her brain.

Connor's mouth pulled up into a grin as he watched her compose herself. They would have to get used to each other not being able to cope with the new relationship. Taking her cue from him, Becca wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her head against his chest, looking out at the peaceful City that was now her home. He circled her with his own arms, caging her in a secure embrace. The future was uncertain, even more so than when the androids had first started their revolution nearly a year ago, but now it was tinged with the unmistakable glow of excitement.

This could be the first step towards a true harmonious existence and maybe, just maybe, she would finally find happiness. There would still be challenges but she and Connor would face them together. With Hank, and Gavin, and Marvin and Markus, and so many more than she could now count. She had lost her old life and had found a new one. She was finally home.

* * *

 **A/N: So that's it. The end of this story. I am so grateful and happy that you chose to come with me on this random adventure I cooked up in my nerd brain. This one really came out of the blue and I did not intend to write another fanfic so soon after finishing my trilogy. Thanks to you all, you lovely, lovely people. Thanks for your words of encouragement and enthusiasm, it has helped every step of the way.**

 **Just a little disclaimer, this is of course a first draft. I only ever proof read for spelling and grammar so it can sometimes appear unstructured and a bit rambley. And this story in particular was not as planned and thought out as my Hitman stuff, so thanks for sticking with me. If there is interest I may do an epilogue or one shot just showing life after Being Human for Connor and Becca. If you guys are up for that and want more just let me know and I'll have a go of it. It'll be more fluffy and maybe even M rated if that's what you want but I'm going to have a go at an original novel next so my attention may be divided.**

 **If you want to check out my original work I plan to post it to Wattpad (yes, I know Wattpad is controversial) I'll leave a link to my profile below. Anyway, that's all I have to say, so thanks once again from a writer to her readers, and I hope to see you again soon.**

 **Your friendly neighbourhood fish,**

 **Monty :)**

user/MEFielding


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